UnStoppable Flash
by DarthManwe
Summary: One mission to Central City gone bad, equals one Ron Stoppable with powers he never dreamed of. Watch as the goofy sidekick is forced to take things seriously, and grow alongside his best friend. A slightly darker take on KP universe, situated on a greater DC Universe. Eight Chapter: The War Still Rages Within.
1. Pilot

**AN: This is a pilot, some sort of story I would want to read myself. It's a KP x DC Universe Crossover, focusing on Ron as our favorite Speedster. Any and all criticisms are welcome. Story will grow and diverge over time, but this pilot is mostly to test initial reactions to the story. It was influenced by the CW's new The Flash pilot. Similarities do exist. So, write anything you think about it in any way. (This includes the name of the story. I can't seem to like the name I came up for it.) In addition, this will be a little bit darker than overall KP ambience, but a little bit lighter than overall DC ambience. So there may be some mature concepts built in over time. Again, all criticisms about this is welcome as well.**

** UnStoppable Flash  
**

**Disclaimer: Kim Possible trademark and all characters belong to Disney.**

**DC Comics and all characters belong to Warner Bros.**

** Chapter 1: Pilot**

_My name is Ron Stoppable, and I am the fastest man alive. And this sounds so cheesy when you say it out loud._

_Maybe I should begin from the very start. It all started when I started Pre-K, right after nap time..._

_Right, not that far back maybe. You all probably heard of Kim Possible? Cheerleader, can do anything, saves the world from somewhat whacky villains from time to time. Yea, she is my best friend. And I, uh, am the guy who tags along for distraction._

_Well, used to "just" tag along. It's a bit different nowadays. Anyways, if you are all comfy in your chairs, get ready for a wild story._

_And I mean, really really wild._

* * *

"Explain to me one more time why we are going to Central City?"

Kim Possible sighed as her best friend complained again.

"We are going to be doing guard duty for Dr. Wells' Particle Accelerator. Wade's information suggested that Drakken and Shego was going to make a move on it."

"Isn't that thing like huge? How would they even carry it?" Ron flipped a M&M he was playing with into air, and watched it as Rufus, his naked mole rat caught it.

Kim flicked her hair. "Wade thinks they would actually go for the accelarator's inner chamber, very expensive and very sensitive equipment."

Ron shrugged. "Still seems out of character for your new arch foe. You'd expect something different after his Nano Exploding Tick shenanigan or that 'let's turn Wisconsin into Drakkenville' sitch." Another M&M flipped in the air for Rufus to catch it.

"Don't do that thing again where you advise super villains Ron."

"Not my fault they are making zero sense most of the time, KP. I sure hope this flight from Colorado to Missouri is not a total waste. I'm passing up major snackage time here."

The head of the pilot stuck out slightly from the cabin. "Drop zone in five kids."

"Thanks again Mr. Shaw, dropping us along your way."

"It's my pleasure after you helped us land our cargo plane."

Kim waved it off. " Extinguishing an in flight fire, no big." She turned to Ron. "Are you ready for drop?"

Ron struggled with his straps. "The parachute is a bit tricky to get it right."

The redhead cheerleader smirked and helped Ron get it right. "Time to jump, Ron-man."

Two teens dropped off over Central City.

* * *

Dr. Wells, a thin man with glasses, shook Kim's hand. "I'd normally laugh up these things, but if Kim Possible is here to help, I'm not going to turn it down." He gestured to the giant ring structure they were standing on. "Unfortunately, there is not a suitable location I can offer you and your friend to stand lookout. You will have to observe from here, with everyone."

"No problem Dr. Wells." As Wells left to oversee his experiment's activation, Kim turned to Ron. "At least we will get to watch it being activated. It's supposed to be cutting edge in physics research. My dad talked about it a lot."

Ron picked off a few more snacks off the tables. " It's not like we'll see anything KP, these things take a long time, I'm told." He looked above and observed the night air through the glass ceiling above. "Looks like it's gonna rain tonight. Man, I was hoping for a quick ride home and a marination-filled Sunday after that."

"I'm sure you'll get plenty of time to marinate Ron. Head in the game now."

Kimmunicator beeped. "Hey Wade, we are on location, anything new?"

Wade retorted with haste. "Kim, you got an airborn vehicle approaching from west, and fast!"

Kim sprang into action as she fired her grapple gun above and zoomed towards the glass ceiling. As she reached it, a hovercar burst through the ceiling and rained glass down below.

Kim jumped on the hovercar as it descended, and came face to face with Shego and Drakken.

"Hello Princess, you got a craving for a beatdown I see." She charged her hands and fired off a plasma blast.

Kim dodged it and jumped at Shego. " It's my pleasure to provide you with one Shego, as always."

Shego caught Kim and they tumbled out of the hovercar. Drakken screamed "Keep her busy while I acquire the item Shego!"

The hovercar descended towards the ring structure's center. As guests dispersed and ran away from the rain of glass, Ron ran towards the edge and jumped onto the hovercar as it passed near.

"Hellooo, Drakken! Ron-Man's here to entertain!" Ron jumped at controls and randomly pressed. The hovercar did a flip in the air randomly fired a weird beam from underneath.

Drakken struggled with Ron as he screamed. "You buffoon! Get out of my way!"

As the two struggled, hovercar shakily descended towards the ring below and fired off the yellowish beam towards the super structure. As it struck the metallic plating, blocks of plating began to peel off.

Up in the control center, Dr. Wells screamed. "Shut it all off, shut it! Dark energy is building up and shielding is compromised!"

The noise from the superstructure increased to a high pitched grating. Near the observation area, Shego and Kim stopped fighting and held their ears. Kim looked below and saw Ron on the hovercar. As she watched, the hovercar finally crashed into the ring structure.

At that very moment, a yellow energy burst forth from the shredded platings and expanded quickly. As Kim watched, Ron and Drakken got blasted off towards different directions. Ron was sent all the way up towards the ceiling and landed on a beam.

Ron shook his head as he tried to gather himself. Kim shouted from below. "Ron, stay there, I'm coming to get you!"

As she readied her grapple gun, the power in the building went out and the place went dark. Kim struggled to pick a suitable grapple point in the dark and hesitated a moment.

As she was scanning above, she noticed storm clouds above and pouring rain. Her eyes picked out the flash just above them. She screamed too late. "Ron, watch out!"

Ron turned his head upwards and watched momentarily as a lightning bolt built up and instantly struck him.

As he fell from the beam, the whole world went black for him.

* * *

The world came into focus very slowly for Ron Stoppable. As he blinked and took in his surroundings, he became aware of a weird thing.

All sounds were a little dull. He shook his head and looked around. The sounds of a hospital slowly bled in.

He was hooked to a few machines, and the one with EKG started beeping as he tried to raise in bed. The on-call nurse rushed into the room, all ready to intervene with another cardiac arrest...

And she stopped dead in her tracks as Ron rose himself to a sitting position.

"Okay, how long I've been sleeping, I got a major snackage shortage in my tummy."

* * *

Apparently, he was asleep for a full week, comatose for the first six days. He was flown from Central City to Middleton Memorial a few days ago.

Dr. Ann Possible explained him what happened. "You were in and out of coma a few times Ronald. Your heart kept stopping. You scared us a lot."

"No big Dr. P. You know me, fortress of fortitude." Ron tapped his chest. He screamed in joy as Rufus ran through the door and jumped on the bed. "Hey buddy! No worries, we'll be hitting Bueno Nacho in no time!"

His mother and father came in and hugged him. It looked like his mother had gotten little sleep the last week, and his father looked a bit worn out.

"You scared us to death Ronnie! You must be more careful!" His mother admonished him as she pumped the pillows behind him.

"Son, you can't be this reckless. You were extremely lucky to survive unscathed." His father turned to Dr. Possible. "Did he get out unscathed?"

Ann Possible nodded slowly. "Technically, such a lightning strike should've caused severe de-calcification in his bones, but according to the tests we just ran, he is back to one hundred percent. I'm surprised really. Not even his injuries from the fall remain."

Ron waved it off. " Really folks, I'm a-okay. No need to deprive the ladies of my sunny disposition anymore." He looked around. " Speaking of which, where's KP? Out on a mission?"

Kim's mother nodded. "Something about a missing professor came up I believe. She was worried to death as well."

Ron smiled and shook his head. "We'll catch up when she's back. What did happen that night in Central City, after I... dozed off?"

His father pushed his glasses up. "Terrible things Ronald. Explosion shorted out half that city, injured many and killed a few. Poor Kimberly saved a few scientists, but it looks like a big catastrophe."

Ron's eyes turned down and he looked very sullen all of a sudden. "So I failed big time this time."

"Nothing you could've done son. Kim says you did your absolute best."

Ron just turned around. "So I'll be getting out tomorrow?"

Ann Possible re-attached the patient chart to the bed. "Yes Ronald. We will keep you tonight for observation, but you should be clear to leave tomorrow morning."

"Thanks Mrs. Dr. P." He turned to his mother and said "I'll sleep a bit mom, I'm still tired I think."

They all left the room. Rufus settled in his lap as Ron kept looking out the window. "So the drama this time Rufus."

* * *

Ron exited the hospital with his father along in the morning, feeling a bit stiff. His redheaded best friend was waiting near the exit. She ran and hugged Ron as hard as she can.

"Ron, you are okay!" She held him at arms length and checked him over. "Too okay after that in fact."

"Duh KP, you know Ron Man's a man o' steel."

Ron's father walked to the car and waved to them. "I'll go ahead to the house Ronald. You two catch up, I'll see you in the evening."

Kim and Ron walked around for a bit as Ron wanted to stretch his legs. Kim noticed he was a lot quieter than normal. To cheer him up, she suggested Bueno Nacho, which was quickly approved by both Ron and Rufus.

As they sat down with their orders, Kim tried to get Ron to talk.

"Okay, tell me what's the sitch, you are okay and eating Naco, but acting like world has ended."

Ron set down his food and looked to it. "I messed up big time Kim. Mission failure, huge explosion, people dead and injured."

"Ron, you stopped Drakken! I was tangling with her Royal Pain-in-the-ass, you did great."

"That accelerator thingie got damaged and blew up. Thanks to my messing it."

Kim switched to the seat near him and held his shoulder with reassurance. "It was not just that Ron. In fact, the accelerator apparently was building up excess dark energy and they couldn't shut it off. If anything, you damaging it minimized the damage."

Ron looked up. "Really?" Kim rolled his eyes and patted him in the back. "Really Ron. Now eat up, and we can catch a movie after."

Ron finished up in record time. As they stood up and started to leave, another customer tripped as Ron watched. All of a sudden, he started to see it in real slow motion. He quickly looked around and saw everything had slowed down.

A moment later, it all returned to normal. Kim nudged him in his ribs. "Ron, are you okay?"

"...Yea... Let's go."

"C'mon I'll tell you about the last mission. Global Justice contacted me and..."

* * *

Ron ran into the gym and interrupted the cheer practice. "Excuse me Kim."

"Not now Ron."

"Kinda _importante._"

"_Mucho _busy here Ron."

Ron stared at her and picked up a cone to shout through. "Give me a K, give me an I, give me an M, what's that spell!"

"RON!"

"Nnngh, sorry, but thanks for playin'." He grinned.

Kim pulled him aside and turned to him with fury. "What!"

Ron's smile lopsided as he pulled out the Kimmunicator. "You'll never guess who needs your help."

Kim's eyes grew as she saw the face on Kimmunicator. "Dr. Drakken?!"

Ron grinned again. _"Exactomento."_

"Dr. Drakken? Why? What?! How?!"

"Actually Ma'am, I'm Pvt. Dobbs from United States Armed Forces. This Drakken fella, he used some big ole' machine to switch our brains. It's not natural!"

"His brain is in your body?"

"Pretty girl with the glowing hands are coming, she-" Communication broke after that.

* * *

Kim complained as she walked along Ron. "Like I didn't have to deal Regionals, now this extreme weirdness..."

Ron waved it off. "Stress not KP, you'll handle it. Like you always do."

Kim glared at him. "You make my life sound so cakey."

Ron started counting with his fingers. "Let's see, you are smart, athletic, pretty and popular, sounds pretty cakey to me."

"Okay, flip-mode, playing video games, watching wrestling and downing snackage, it must be brutal to be you."

Ron started to retort, but stopped. His mind went to the Central City blunder. All he did was crash a hovercar, getting himself seriously injured, leaving Kim to deal with the mess. Not to mention falling even more behind on school work during his week long coma. He knew he was easy going and had a devil-may-care attitude, but the last event had made him think that maybe he was a bit too... "Ron."

Kim looked to Ron when she didn't get a return to her jab, and found Ron looking ahead with blank eyes. "Ron? You okay?"

Ron turned to her and said "Huh?" Unfortunately, he was not paying attention where he was going and he crashed into, with extreme unluckiness, Bonnie Rockwaller. He suddenly became aware of world slowing down again and saw Bonnie falling very slowly. He lunged and grabbed her around her waist and caught the book she was holding with his other hand.

Time returned to normal speed almost immediately. Ron quickly restored Bonnie to her full height and handed her the book he caught. Bonnie tried to get a word out but struggled. "You.. loser... what?.."

Ron quickly strolled away with Kim. "Sorry Bonnie, didn't see you, uh, later!" He wiped his brow after they took the corner. "Phew. Bonnie was this close to another shoutfest."

Kim looked at Ron with a bit of amazement. "Nice reflexes there Ron, you caught her and the book at the same time."

Ron looked a bit pensive. "Yea, must be my latent skills."

Steve Barkin watched the whole deal from the start of the corridor and looked puzzled. Then he smiled evilly. "I wonder."

* * *

"Middle of the Grand Canyon, really, Drakken's getting really whack with his lair locations." Ron looked down the cliff. "Doesn't seem like there's an evil lair down there."

They finally came to a broken down, old shack. Kim scanned with the Kimmunicator. "This is it."

"That's Drakken's lair?" They walked in and looked around. Ron felt something on his leg and whispered. "Rufus, quit climbing up my leg."

Rufus peeked out of Ron's breast pocket. Ron immediately panicked and started jumping around. He took hold of the chimney and shook off a scorpion off his leg. As he held on, the chimney pipe came down and revealed a secret elevator.

Kim turned to him and smiled. "Mr. Dumb Luck."

Ron stood and grinned. " Not dumb luck KP, Dumb Skill."

The elevator descended and stopped, revealing a large underground cave. "Have we been in this lair before?" Ron inquired as he looked around.

"They all start to look alike after a while. Let's go." They passed by a big machine with two receptor headgear, to which Ron correctly commented as "brain-switch machine."

They found Drakken's body in a crate. "Kim Possible! Look out!"

When Ron and Kim turned, they saw Shego with a lot of henchmen around. "Rescue's over Kimmie." She jumped towards Kim and they started to fight.

Kim shouted "Ron!" as she evaded two henchmen and their energy sticks. Shego jumped over towards Ron.

"All over it!" He grabbed Pvt. Dobbs in Drakken's body and started to run. Some henchmen blocked them off immediately followed by Shego.

Kim jumped and fired off her grappling gun, swinging towards Shego. She took her with a kick, which Shego retaliated by cutting the grappler's cord. Kim crashed into the machine and one of the receptor headgear came down upon her head.

All of the henchmen pressed down upon Ron, who started to settle into a funny Kung Fu pose. As one of them swung his energy stick, time slowed down dramatically for Ron.

He avoided the first swing, and another after that, unbalancing the henchmen, he spun and kicked the second guy's back, whom in turn went crashing into a recovering Shego. Shego got knocked under the brain-switch machine and the second headgear came down on her head.

At that moment, Rufus, who had leapt out of Ron's pocket, landed on the activation switch.

Only one thought went through Ron's head.

_Oh fudge me._

The machine shocked both women for a few seconds. After that, they stood up and looked at each other.

"YOU ARE ME?!" which was Kim and "NOOOOOOOO!" which was Shego, had been their reactions.

Pvt. Dobbs charged into Kim's body after taking a look and said "You think we ought to get outta here?"

Kim's voice answered from Shego's body. "But we have to change back!"

Ron grabbed hold of her and said " No time!" Lots of henchmen started firing their energy sticks and blasted around them. They ran towards the exit, and while they did that, Kim grabbed hold of Drakken's body and Ron grabbed Rufus as he ran.

Shego recovered and ran after them. She jumped over and landed in front of them. "You think I'll let you stroll away with both Drakken's and MY BODY? Not a chance Princess!"

"Stuff it Shego." She kicked her own body in the foot and jumped over. Ron and Pvt. Dobbs made a dash towards elevator while Kim let a pressure valve open, blanketing the area with steam.

Shego's screams rose from Kim's body. "DON'T LET THEM GET TO.." A ding sound was heard. "...elevator."

* * *

_Awkward? No__, this is miles ahead of that. Awk-weird. Yea, awk-weird._

They were at dinner with Possibles, Kim in Shego's body and Pvt. Dobbs in Drakken's. James Possible was stealing glances all around.

"Ahem, I'm sorry, I can't eat sitting across Kim's archnemesis and her sidekick."

Kim answered "Dad, I told you, it's not really Drakken and Shego, it's their bodies."

Kim's mother answered. "I hear you honey, but as a board certified neurosurgeon, I've got to say, it's just not possible to swap brains."

Ron cut in there. "Point taken Dr. P. But how else do you explain Kim's voice coming out of a few years older lady with greenish skin and plasma hands?"

Kim sighed in extreme exasparation and facepalmed.

James Possible laughed. "Chasing bad guys, switching brains, high school sure has changed since my day."

Ron nudged Kim, albeit with a little fear, since it looked like Shego. "Uh Kim, the Kimmunicator is still on your body, right?"

Kim's head shot up. "Damn it! Now we gotta go to school to contact Wade!"

"Not really Kim." Their TV sprang upto life to give way to Wade's image. "I figured out what happened after a very angry looking you destroyed it when I tried to call. Although..." Wade giggled and then cracked up as Kim glared from Shego's eyes. "This is way too funny, sorry Kim."

Ron held Kim back as her hands glowed green. "Uh, KP, the hands, watch the hands!"

"Oh right..." Kim calmed herself down and then turned to TV. " Give me the sitch Wade."

"There's been a security breach at Pvt. Dobbs' post. Something is stolen. Something big. Something top secret!"

"Jump in, cat fish, The Neutronalizer!" Pvt. Dobbs burst out then looked around. "Y'all wasn't supposed to hear that."

"There's more Kim, Drakken's lair is gone, everything was cleared! Including the brain switch machines!"

"So I'm stuck like this?! Wade, hurry and find them!"

* * *

"You let them get away with my body?!"

"Look Doc, I'm not flying from happiness either, I got a major breast downsizing here!"

* * *

Ron finished explaining as Kim changed in the girls locker room.

Bonnie started laughing. "So Possible lost her body and picked up an older one! This is too good to be true!"

Ron got a bit angry and took a step towards Bonnie. " Look Bon-Bon, this is tough enough without you messing around, so stuff it and help out KP here. Besides, without her, your Regional Cheer title is gonna be out the window!"

Shego's head peeked out the locker room. "Uh, Tara could you help me here?"

Tara walked towards her and into the room. "What's wrong Kim?"

Kim shuddered with embarrasment. "The uniform...Uh... It's a bit too snug around my... breasts."

* * *

"Time share lair complex. Seriously, why didn't we check these places right away?" Ron whispered as they snuck in.

"Shhh Ron, quiet time!"

"No matter how you sound like Kim, this is too damn awk-weird as you in Shego's body KP."

They walked into the lair and looked around. They came upon Drakken lamenting his not being taken serious with world's governments.

What caught Ron's eye was Kim though, as in Kim's real body. Shego had apparently pulled some black leather from somewhere and wore it. To Ron, it looked magnificent... Then he remembered who that was and felt really.. awk-weird.

He also heard Kim sizzle near him. "Oh Shego's so gonna kiss asphalt this time. Black leather tights, really?!" She shook it off though. " Okay, here's the plan, me and Ron distract them while you disarm the Neutronalizer."

"Ah, ma'am, I dunno nothing about disarming it. I just guarded it after all."

The panel they were hiding got blasted. "So Kim Possible and her buffoon of a sidekick finally arrived." Drakken then pointed to them and screamed. "Finish them both!"

Shego, from Kim's body, objected loudly but couldn't stop the henchmen as they fired plasma from the energy sticks. Kim and Ron split, but Drakken's body remained there. Just as one of the plasma seemed that it'd hit Pvt. Dobbs, a strong gust changed plasma's direction and made it land just near.

Kim and Shego jumped up to the top of the panels. "We're switching now Princess, I'm sick and tired of your body!"

"I'm all with you there Shego! How you ever managed to perform a backflip with these two in the front, is a complete mystery!"

"Why you!" They engaged in the air as they jumped.

Meanwhile, Ron was avoiding the henchman as they kept shooting at him. Unfortunately, just above him, Kim lost control of Shego's body and let loose a rogue plasma blast, which in turn knocked all the panels like domino. Ron and Kim was knocked out for a while.

* * *

"There's no body like my body!" Drakken shuddered in delight.

"Ah yes sir, it's good to be home!" Pvt. Dobbs said as henchmen carried him off.

"OI! Dr. D. It's my turn now, c'mon!" Ron giggled a bit as Shego in Kim's body was making a very un-Kim-like face.

"Glad to see you are having fun Stoppable." Kim glared at him sideways.

"Oh you are gonna be back to your body in a second, don't stress it."

"And then we are gonna get dusted off by Shego."

Ron winked. "Maybe, maybe not."

Shego grabbed Kim ( which was actually Kim grabbing Shego, but you get the idea.) and brought her to the machine with her hands tied and all. Then she got herself tied up just before Drakken activated the machine."

A few seconds later, Ron heard Shego crying out in jubilation. "Ooooh yea, I'm so going to fry you now Princess!"

Drakken spoke up before Shego could do so. "Neutronalizer first, frying second Shego."

They initiated the sequence for Neutronalizer firing, but as it was about to go off, the fusebox blew out and lair lost power.

"Cheap rental lairs! They know I've excessive power demands."

Suddenly, a Kimmunicator on Shego beeped. Shego answered it. "Sorry but Princess is about to get fried. Can I take a message?"

Wade answered with full vengeance. "Tell her the army is on the way."

Drakken hollered and started walking away. "The army! Shego, initiate self destruct, we are outta here!."

They walked out as Kim struggled in the corner to get free of the ropes. "Damn it, can't get out!"

Ron came running from where he was tied up though, like he never was. "No worries KP, we are outta here!" He grabbed Kim and threw her on his shoulder and ran out.

A few hundred meters from the now-exploded lair, he set Kim down and freed her.

"Ron, how did you-" She stopped as she saw Ron pointing to Rufus who stuck his head out from Ron's pocket. She then petted Rufus. "Good little naked mole rat."

Ron sighed and looked around. "I don't know about you Kim, but I'm ready to go home and catch some Z's."

"Agreed, Speed-Boy."

"Speed boy? Wha?"

Kim pointed behind. "You ran pretty fast outta there, carrying me as well."

Ron waved his hand. "Hellooo, distracting sidekick, fast legs are a prerequisite for the gig KP."

* * *

"No no problem, thank You!" Ron backed out of the guidance counselor's office. He slumped down after exiting the office. "My life's so over."

Suddenly, he became aware of a presence behind him. He turned to find Steve Barkin looking at him like a hawk. "Stoppable. Don't sit on the floor."

"Sorry, Mr. B. It's just that I am just told-"

"That you need to do extra curricular activities to pad your resumé." His stern face suddenly took a very evil smile. "I know."

Ron felt really uncomfortable in his gaze and smile. " Uh, Mr. B., what are you gonna- ah!"

Ron screamed as Barkin dragged him towards the football field near the school.

* * *

"Stoppable. You have any idea why you are here?"

Ron looked at the very awkward looking football pads on him. "To make me help practice some of the team. Though I think you coulda found someone else Mr. Barkin, I suck at this."

Steve Barkin facepalmed in exasparation. The boy had no clue at all. "Stoppable, take your place at the 10-yard line."

Ron complied. Barkin came near him and pulled out a stopwatch. The football team had been practicing, and they took a break to watch. "You are going to do 40 yard dashes, understood?"

"Uh, okay but why?"

"Don't question me punk, do as you are told!"

Ron set down and waited for Barkin's sign. As Barkin blew his whistle, he dashed the 40 yard. To the watching team nearby, it looked a pretty fast run. A few players went by Barkin and looked at the time.

"4.92, woa, dude's not bad." Yet Barkin didn't look happy at all.

He went near Ron and picked him off the ground. "Stoppable! When I tell you to run, you will RUN LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT! Not take a pleasure stroll! Now, hit it again."

Ron didn't get why Barkin was making him run, but if he wanted him to go all speed...

The whistle blew again, and as the whole team, a few people in stands and Barkin watching, Ron dashed like a man possessed.

As he crossed 40 yard line, Barkin stopped the watch and forgot to speak. Captain of the team, Brick Flagg took a look at the stopwatch.

"Holy shit, Stoppable can run a 4.5!"

Ron came near Barkin and looked at him. "So, what was that all about Mr. B?"

Steve Barkin facepalmed again, but this time with contention. "What it is that you are now the Runningback of Middleton High School Football Team."

Ron's eyes went full size and he went into shock.

"...Wha now?"

* * *

"Ow. Ow. Ow." Each step he took felt like agony to Ron. "I mean really, who makes you run 50 laps around the field, crab-style, the first day you join the team?"

Kim, patted him on the back as they walked. "At least you'll hurt less in future Ron."

"Yea, have you seen what they do to RB's like me? I'll be crushed to my atoms by the end of the first match."

"You are so not gonna tell me you didn't wanna be a jock." Kim rolled her eyes.

"That maybe so, but I also have a fondness for living as well Kim."

"Quit crying, let's drop by Bueno Nacho before heading home."

Ron stopped and rubbed his glutes. "You know KP, I think I'm gonna head home and sleep, I can barely stand as it is."

"Okay then, but you'll probably hurt tomorrow anyway, so call me over in the morning and I'll help you stretch before school."

"If I can wake up, that is." Surprisingly, he felt better as he approached his house.

* * *

Meanwhile, across the town, three metallic figures grabbed an Asian professor and took off with him.

* * *

Kim didn't get a peep from Ron until she saw him in school. He looked surprisingly okay. She approached him at the lockers and slapped him in the back. He reacted less than she hoped.

"Huh, looks like you are not hurting much."

"Hi KP! I dunno why, but no pain whatsoever was left when I woke up. Fortress of fortitude and immunity, still going strong!"

As he took his books out, Tara walked near. "Hi Ron."

Ron smiled and returned the greetings. "Hi Tara, Something I can help you with?"

"Just wanted to say that I'm glad you got into Football Team, knew you could do better ever since Camp Wanna-"

"Please let's not mention that evil evil place. Henceforth, it shall be known as Where-Should-Not-Be-Named-Nor-Mentioned." He smiled again after that. "Thanks though, didn't know my mad running away skills had real world applications."

Tara giggled and waved. " See you later Ron."

Ron turned and closed his locker, only to come face to face with Kim's sinister grin. "Well well, looks like 'Ron-Man' is garnering fame."

"It's no big KP, she's just being friendly and all. Besides, ladies know that Ron-Man's here to please, Boo yah."

"Yes, let's get 'Ron-Man' to the chem class before we both get detention, shall we?"

* * *

As the day at school came to a close, Kimmunicator went beeping. "What's the sitch Wade?"

"Professor Ramesh from Mt. Middleton Observatory wants your help."

Kim rubbed her chin while thinking. "That name sounds familiar. I think my Dad knows him."

"Ramesh's partner professor Chen is missing."

"Okay Wade, set up a ride. I'll go get the Man Who Can Run Like A Storm."

"So Ron really made starting RB?"

"Apparently." Kim went to the field and looked for Ron.

"Possible." Steve Barkin called her out near the sidelines. "What are you doing here?"

"A mission came up Mr.B., need to bring Ron with me."

"Not gonna happen Possible, I can't let him cut practice on his second day."

Ron saw Kim and ran to them. "What's up KP?"

"A mission is on, but Mr. B. says you can't leave."

Ron turned to Barkin. "Mr. Barkin, I could come back later and finish it up after the mission?"

"Not gonna happen! But if you really want to leave now..."

Barkin turned towards the field. "Give me 100 suicide runs, and then you can leave immediately."

Kim's mouth fell open as she heard Barkin's outrageous demand. She also went into shock as she watched Ron not complain at all, but in return, set into stance and began his suicide runs.

"Mr. B, isn't this a little too excessive?!"

"Your friend here has a lot of potential, but lacks motivation Possible. Setting barriers for him to overcome, just in order to help you, seems like an excellent motivation."

Ron was finished with the runs under 10 minute, at which point he was wheezing like a dying man. The news helicopter Wade set them up with also arrived at that time. Ron took off the pads but didn't have time to change.

"Ugh, going into a mission with my undershirt, so not cool." He sniffed his shirt and grimaced."

"Don't stress out on me Ron." She took one of his mission shirts from her pack. "Here, took this out of your locker."

Ron groaned as he put it on. "Barkin is gonna be my death before long, I'm telling ya KP." Then he suddenly went silent. "Damn. I forgot Rufus in my normal pants!"

"He'll do fine until we go back Ron."

"You haven't seen Rufus hungry much, have you?"

* * *

Kim and Ron walked into the observatory to see a much bizarre situation.

Three female looking robots closing in on Prof. Ramesh.

"Professor Ramesh, we have come for you."

Ramesh took a few steps back and asked in fear. " Who are you?!"

As an answer, robots started to shake and move in high speed around Ramesh.

"I am Bebe. " and "I am Bebe. " and yet another " I am Bebe."

"Is there an echo in here?"

One of the Bebes turned and focused on them.

"Analysis. Subject: Kim Possible. Threat: Minimal. Analysis. Subject: Ron Stoppable. Threat: None Whatsoever."

"Hey!" Ron groaned. "That hurts." was Kim's reaction. She sprang into action and ran towards the robots. A flip in the air and a drop kick was caught by the leading Bebe, who then proceded to throw Kim to the giant telescope.

Kim flipped in the air and caught the telescope's gyro, then jumped back as it rotated. "Not bad."

Bebes raised their hands and said in unison. "Bebe is perfect." Their hands shot out and tried to catch Kim, which she all evaded. However, as she tried to grab Ramesh and ran with the chair he was on, one of the Bebes caught the chair and flung it to the air. Ramesh crashed into a wall, while Kim was knocked down.

Another Bebe caught her as she was trying to get up and kicked her to the nearest wall with a high speed kick.

Ron ran to help, but time slowed down for him as he watched Kim getting kicked.

Suddenly, room exploded with displacing air. Ron caught Kim just before she crashed into the wall, and took the brunt of the momentum on his back. He checked Kim and saw that she was out of it from the kick.

He got up and ran towards Bebes, who just started to move extra fast themselves.

To him, they looked like slow moving golf carts, and he exploded again, unleashing a punch storm onto the Bebe nearest Ramesh.

As he stopped to check his handiwork and catch his breath, another Bebe caught him from behind and knocked him out.

A few minutes later, Kim shook him awake. "Ron, are you okay, Ron!"

"Yea yea, I'm fine. What the hell were those things?"

"You tell me, you apparently got one." Kim pointed to the Bebe Ron had thrashed. Her face plating caved in and wires destroyed, it was most probably useless now.

"I uh..." Suddenly, he became aware of what happened. He had sped to an inhuman level. A...superpower.

Oh boooy. "I think I got it by chance when it was trying to get Ramesh. Cheap metal if it caved to my punches." He had no idea why he just blatantly lied to his best friend, but he didn't even know what happened himself.

Kim held his right hand and inspected it. "Your right hand is not in mint condition either." True enough, there were several contusions and bruises on the hand. She started to look around. "We now have two missing scientists and no clue on how to find them. Great."

She walked around. Ron took a step and heard a glass shattering noise. What he picked up from the ground was an old picture.

He noticed Ramesh in the middle. Rufus suddenly tried showing him stuff in picture. "Oh yea, that's Professor Chen near him. Wait..."

Rufus frantically pointed to the man right near Ramesh. "Is that Kim's dad?" He inspected it closely and saw that it is. "Oh that is just horrible. Those sleeves rolled up jackets are so eighties."

Rufus again wore himself out trying to make Ron see the real issue. Ron finally wizened up after a minute. "Kim's dad could be the next target!"

He turned and ran to Kim. "KP! Stop, I found a clue!"

* * *

"Kimmie-cub, I don't like this little plan of yours. Ronald is in danger right now." James Possible glanced at the teen in disguise outside the house, pretending to mow the lawn.

Kim held her father's arm and squeezed to reassure him. "Don't worry Dad, that's what he does best, acting as distraction. Plus, we will be able to follow him, right Wade?"

Wade's voice from the Kimmunicator acknowledged this. " Due to a little, uh, device, I placed on Ron's person, we will easily be able to track him. It'll be perfectly safe."

As they watched, two shadows suddenly placed themselves around Ron. He offered no resistance, seemingly, and the Bebes tied him up. Then they immediately took off.

"Let's go Rufus." Kim moved with haste.

"I'm coming as well Kimmie-cub, if someone is after me and my friends, I may be able to help."

* * *

Ron found himself enclosed within a ray shield with the missing scientists.

"Who's behind this?" Professor Ramesh asked.

"Obvious. Some villain needs our help to take over the world." Professor Chen answered.

Suddenly, a very familiar voice rang out of the darkness. Ron groaned lightly as he heard the voice. "Gentlemen, don't flatter yourselves. There's only one genius in this room. And it is I, Dr. Drakken!"

"Drew?" was the collective reaction of the two professors. "Drew Lipsky, is that you?" Ramesh continued.

"No." Ron said and pulled out his James Possible disguise from his head. "He is Dr. Drakken. And he is in for a world of hurt!"

Drakken grimaced. "So, Kim Possible is here."

Ron puffed up. "Oooh yes!...Actually no. But she can be. Or she may be. Or was that she would be?..." He trailed away bumbling.

Drakken turned to the remaining two Bebes. "You know, I purposefully programmed you with a pinch of emotion just so you would be ashamed of failures like this!" He held up the James Possible face mask. "It's slipshot what it is!"

"Slipshot?"

"That's right missy, and I demand better from my lackeys! Especially the robotic ones."

"Lackeys?!" The two Bebes turned to Drakken with anger. "Our sister perished for your plan!"

Drakken suddenly turned to a very positive mood. "Let's not get testy. You'll get another chance of course. Go forth and bring Dr. Possible to me!" Bebes turned and sped away from the room.

"Why are you after Kim's dad and his friends anyway?"

Drakken turned to his captives with enthusiasm. "Payback! You see-" He stopped as his brain registered what Ron just said. "Wait, you mean Dr. Possible and Kim Possible are related?"

"Duh." Ron said as the two professors near him shook their heads in exasparation.

"Don't 'duh' me. Possible is a very common last name."

"So not."

"So..so yes it is."

"It's pretty unique~" Ron said in a sing song voice.

"Enough! I shall prove it! Where's the phonebook?" Drakken walked out of the room.

* * *

A few minutes later, Kim and her dad walked into the room. After Kim flipped the light switch, they saw it was a big hall that would double as a ball room.

Ron immediately let Kim know what was going on. "Kim, it was Drakken!"

"Drakken's behind this?"

Drakken walked back into the room, not noticing he had new guests. "Okay fine, so in Middleton there's only one Possible family."

"Doy." Kim called from behind him.

Drakken turned in shock. "Kim Possible! And...and.."

"Her father, Dr Possible." Ron supplied helpfully.

"Yes, well, there's no way I expected to conclude that my arch nemesis is the daughter of a guy I went to college with."

"Drew? Drew Lipsky?"

Kim had trouble getting the picture. "Wait, he's the guy from college you told me about? My arch foe?"

"Well he didn't use to be blue, I can tell you that much."

"No, but I was blue..on the inside. Scorned by my friends.. my possé.." Drakken looked very sad at that moment. Then he quickly picked back up. " But, I vowed to prove my genius to all of you. And when I got the reunion invite.."

James Possible interjected and took the invite from him. "Since you dropped out, you really are not entitled to that."

"Indeed. Exactly why I planned my own little reunion." He screamed loudly after that. "Bebes, return to me at once!"

Bebes immediately appeared, coming in through the big doors.

"Who's the genius now?! These robots are perfect, and their sole purpose is to obey me!"

One of the Bebes asked. "Question. If we are perfect, why do we obey, one who is not perfect. Conclusion. Drakken is unfit to command!"

Chen seemed amused. "It's college all over again. That man cannot build a robot."

"He should take up cloning." Ramesh supplied.

Drakken started taking steps back. "Bebes, no. Bad Bebes, bad!"

Kim rolled her eyes and handed the Kimmunicator to her father. " This is just too weird." Then she jumped upto Drakken's shoulders and sprang up from there onto the two Bebe's heads. She proceded to crash their heads together.

She leapt down and kicked the Bebes away. "Now that's done with..."

She got suddenly blindsided as two Bebes recovered and charged here. They threw Kim over to the other side of the room.

One of the Bebes looked at Ron. " Re-analysis. Subject: Ron Stoppable. Threat: Substantial. Kill Kim Possible to compromise subject emotionally."

Both Ron and Dr. Possible went crazy at hearing this. Ron screamed and flung himself to the ray shield. It shocked him and sent him onto the ground.

Bebes surround Kim and started raining high speed attacks which Kim was evading, but by skin of her teeth each time. It looked bad all around for her.

Drakken snickered and started walking away. "I think I'll let the ladies work this amongst themselves."

James Possible turned on the Kimmunicator and spoke in panic. "Wade!"

"Dr. Possible?"

"I need a sonic disturbance! Make it loud, make it ultra high frequency!"

"Something that can jam a wireless network signal?"

"Please and thank you, now hurry up!"

As Kim was knocked down, one of the Bebes grabbed her by the wrist and held her up. The killer robot was charging her free hand for a lethal strike as a very high pitch white noise filled the room.

Bebes turned towards James Possible and the Kimmunicator he was holding. "Analysis. Subject: Dr. Possible's attack strategy. Threat: Substantial. Destroy electronic device."

They started taking shaky steps towards Dr. Possible. He ran away and kept holding the device up.

Bebes slowly stopped. "Hi-hive..Mind.. Co-Co-connection...lost."

"I'll take that as good news!" She jumped towards the robots and landed in between they turned to strike Kim, but instead destroyed each other when she dodged.

They exploded after that, sending debris all around. Kim walked over and turned the Kimmunicator off.

They all suddenly turned as they heard a loud thump and saw Drakken limping towards the exit. Kim ran and jumped over him to cover the exit. "What about your college reunion... Dreewww~"

"I'll come to the next one, when I'm even more successful." He pushed a button and a jetpack sprawled behind him. He activated it while laughing... And then promptly smashed into the ceiling.

Everyone shook their heads.

* * *

As they got to Kim's house, Ron started feeling funny all over. After everyone got inside, he didn't go in, even though Kim motioned him to do so.

"I think I'll go home now KP, was a long day."

"If you say so Ron." She looked a bit thoughtful as she scanned Ronald for weirdness. "You are okay, right Ron?"

"Yea I am... Why do you ask?"

Kim motioned towards the house. "The fact that I may have made fun of you, you won't turn into some supervillain right?"

They looked at each other and had a good laugh after that.

"Good night KP."

She watched him leave, all the while remembering what that one Bebe said.

_"Re-analysis. Subject: Ron Stoppable. Threat: Substantial. Kill Kim Possible to compromise subject emotionally."_

_Why would they deem him a substantial threat while I was 'minimal'?_

* * *

Ron got a wave of nauseating feelings again. His hand felt real bad. He looked as his hand seemingly got out of phase, moving at super speeds. He also noticed the earlier wounds from punching Bebes were gone.

He freaked out and started running as he felt very funny. Suddenly, he was seeing drive lanes and houses speeding by him, and he narrowly avoided crashing into trash can... Only to plow straight through someone's fence and then kept going.

When he had stopped, he looked like he had left Middleton. He looked around and saw Upperton mansions nearby.

"Oh boy."

* * *

Wade got pinged from his own website. The message was rather short and worried him.

_Wade, Ron here. I need to talk to you. WITHOUT Kim knowing anything about it. Contact me._

Wade knew Ron was a goofball, but this was very unlike him. Especially if he wanted to hide it from Kim. He may have been a lot younger than those two, but he understood how deep their connection went.

He reached Ron's house. To his luck, it was Ron answering. "Wade, that you?"

"Yes Ron, what is the problem?"

An uncomfortable but brief silence followed. "This is not something that I can.. talk over the phone. I need to show you, or you won't believe me. We need to meet... in person."

"Ron, you know I don't do 'outside' unless it's a real emergency."

"Believe me, this IS a real emergency. DEFCON 11 serious."

"What's with this 'without Kim' part?"

Ron's voice sounded desperate and pleading. "Wade, she _can't _ know about this."

Wade sighed. "All right, meet me in the morning. I'll give you my address."

Ron sighed audibly from the other end. "I owe you huge Wade. I'll make it up to you somehow."

"Now just let me sleep Ron."

* * *

At 7:00 AM sharp, Wade was woken up by his door being knocked on. He groggily got up and opened the door to find Ron standing there.

"Ron, when I said morning, I mean like nine AM or something.." He yawned. "How did you get in?"

"Your mom let me in. I think she's fixing you a breakfast. Something about 'he needs to eat before he goes out."

Wade nodded. "I'll be down soon, you can wait here if you want."

"No no, wouldn't want to disturb the Wade-Cave." He joked slightly, but it was easy to see he was anxious and a nervous wreck. He looked like he got little sleep. "I'll be in the hall."

Wade's mother ushered Ron into kitchen when she saw him sitting on stairs. "Ron, come have a breakfast with us! You must not have gotten any this early."

"Thanks Ma'am, but I'm... having a bit of a stomach problem, better not eat before going outside."

Wade got downstairs and ate his breakfast while watching Ron slowly sip the tea his mother had given him. Ron really looked like he was in a deep situation, which worried him greatly.

He finished quickly and walked outside with Ron.

"You said you'd need to show me something? Well?"

Ron motioned to the park nearby. "Let's go there."

When they reached there, Ron took in a deep breath. "You remember Central City Disaster right?"

"Ron, you were in a coma, of course I do."

"Something happened that night."

"Well you were struck down by a lightning bolt."

Ron looked at him and took off his backpack. He set it nearby, also took Rufus and set him on the backpack. "Watch closely."

He closed his eyes, then ran towards the edge of the treeline, some thirty meters away.

Wade felt his breath kicked out of him as air displaced where Ron just was. Then he saw a red streak reach the treeline under a second.

"Holy shit." Wade felt shock taking him over.

Ron turned and looked at him. And then he zoomed near him again. Wade felt a gust of wind hit him as Ron appeared in front of him.

Ron collapsed near him into the ground. Wade took his arm. "Ron are you okay?!"

"Yea, I'm fine... It's just... showing you... I feel a bit relieved."

"Ron, you just moved in impossible speeds. This is a bona fide superpower."

"You tell me, I'm still having trouble controlling it. There's also..." Ron looked at his hand. "Yesterday, I punched a Bebe in super speed, and my skin was very damaged on knuckles. My bones also hurt a little. Now look at it."

Ron's right hand was pristine, not a peep of injury or contusion anywhere.

Wade shook his head. "I need my tools, and we need to get to a secluded place where we can test you. This is big Ron, very big. Kim would want to know."

Ron pleaded to Wade. "She was happy that I got into football team, I can't have her look at me as a cheater! Please!"

Wade nodded. Then thought something. "Ron, did you even cheat at the practice or your tryout? This would be apparent to everyone if you had."

Ron looked lost. "I don't know man... I mean, time slows down when I go into superspeed, and when I ran on the field, time was normal for me. But I mean..."

"If that's the case, I think that's your natural speed Ron. You always were fast. Anyway..." Wade turned towards his house. "Wait for me here, I'll grab some equipment, and arrange a ride."

"A ride? To where?"

* * *

Ron looked around as he put on various equipment Wade was handing him. "So, Middleton Space Center's old airfield? You'd think this place would be used."

"They never bothered to take this down after they built a new one. It's not slated to be destroyed for another few years, according to city council records."

"And nobody comes here?"

"Totally empty. No one really comes over to this side of airfield either, we are safe." He finished adjusting his measuring equipment. He turned to Ron and scanned him with a handheld device.

"Ron, let's start with what you feel comfortable. Then we can check your limits."

"You sure I can control this?"

"I am sure Ron. You can already start and stop when you want, it's gonna be easy when you really focus."

Ron nodded and put his feet into the starting point. "You ready with the gadgets?"

"All good here. Measurements are being taken... as of now. Start when you want."

Ron sighed and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes as they were slightly illuminated by a red tendrils of light.

He took off as he opened his eyes. The world suddenly came into sharper focus for him, and started to ran by him.

Wade was pushed back in his chair as Ron sped away and created a strong gust of wind in his wake.

He turned to his laptop and watched his speed go up. "Oh my god, he just passed 200 knots per hour."

Ron ran to the end of the airstrip and then turned back in the same speed. He was feeling good with it and didn't want to push before Wade giving an okay.

As he came to a stop near Wade's makeshift tent, he saw his friend going at all his three laptops like crazy. Wade stopped and looked at him. "Ron, your vitals were steady, you clocked an amazing speed... This is unbelievable."

Ron shrugged. Then he took position again. "So, faster this time?"

"Push it, but not as if your life depends on it. We need you to control this, not break yourself at the second day you are getting used to."

Ron felt himself lighter. As if it was easier to go in and out of his ..._speedzone_.

He smiled and took off again.

* * *

Wade and Ron was returning to Middleton town center. Wade had arranged a minivan to pick them and the equipment up.

"So, what was the final speed?"

"You clocked 600 mph in your final run. Looked like you were having a little trouble keeping up though."

"I felt stretched a bit."

"I also checked your vitals and your blood. Your bloodwork will take some time, but it looks totally normal. Your vitals however, show a fast heartbeat... Which seems mild compared to what you can do. That being said..."

Wade closed the laptop he was reading from and turned to Ron. "Your body seemed to adapt slightly. Ron, we need you to train, and train hard. You can get faster and stronger. Every time a bone break or your muscles are strained, your body seems to heal it better, stronger. Cellular regeneration is off the charts, and generation of oxidants seems almost non-existent."

Ron seemed to take it all in slowly. "I don't get all of what you are saying... But lately, after waking up, I've been thinking."

"Maybe I've been a little too relaxed, you know. With school, with myself, with... helping Kim. She deserves a better sidekick. A more trained, more knowledgeable one."

"Ron, neither Kim nor anybody else thinks you are not good enough. It's just..."

"It's just that you think I'm not trying hard enough."

Wade stayed silent after that. Rufus ran upto Ron's shoulder and looked at him in concern.

"I need to catch up. With schoolwork. Need to train with this... power. No more lazing around. I can't let Kim get hurt."

"Ron, what's this with Kim?"

Ron looked at Wade with desperation. "I was locked into that ray shield. I couldn't help her. And the robots were this close to killing her. She was helpless. I felt... I can't explain it... Like my heart was getting torn apart. If it was not for Dr. P..."

Ron's look hardened. "If the world and Kim needs a better Ron, then that's what they deserve. I will give it to them."

* * *

Wade handed him a watch when they returned to his room. "It's a prototype Kimmunicator I was working on, but I'll adjust it for you for now. Disguise it as a watch. If you are still adamant about her not knowing."

"I know we will eventually have to let her know. But for now, let me get used to it."

Wade brought up a screen. "Ron, don't do too much or too fast '_running' _for now. Your clothes were singed when we ended testing. Your clothes are not suitable for the friction caused. I've an idea about that, but it'll take a week or two."

He showed Ron a page on laptop. "That's a standard football undershirt. Form fitting. Designed to allow air passage and easy exit of sweat through micro fabric. Train with that on you, and do it on the airfield. You know the way now, right?"

Ron nodded. "Yes...Thanks for all this Wade. I really owe you a debt I can never repay."

"What's a super genius friend for? 'No big' Ron."

* * *

Ron got dressed in the locker room. It was his first game of football, and it was against Upperton High, Middleton's rival school. Understandably, he was nervous. But his anxiety was due to his powers now. He needed to control it, never allowing it to manifest during a match. Not even a little.

Any less would be cheating, and he couldn't disappoint his family and Kim like that.

His thoughts were interrupted as Brick Flagg sat near him. "Ease up Stoppable. If you run half as good as you did in training, you'll poke Upperton defense full of holes tonight."

Steve Barkin walked into the room and spoke loudly. "I want them crushed on the field gentlemen, and make a statement. All State championship, this is what we want this year!" The team chorused loudly "Yes sir!"

Barkin turned to Ron with whole team watching. "Stoppable, kiddie gloves are off. I want you crushing their D, running as much as you can, as long as you can. Unless Brick sees a golden opportunity, we will run almost seventy percent of the plays on you." He then turned to the team and motioned to all of them. "I want people to know that we have an All-State quarterback, but be amazed by the speed that's clearly at college level, that is Ron Stoppable. Today gentlemen, I want all of you on full speed!"

* * *

Kim felt extremely happy as their team was announced and Ron ran down the corridor and into the field. Her best friend was finally getting the praise he deserved. She began to cheer loudly and carried the cheerleader team with her.

In the stands, John Stoppable and James Possible was sitting with Possible twins. They all cheered for their team, and twins opened a "Sidekick Power!" banner that they made. Ron blushed when he saw it.

A few minutes later, Upperton chose the goal and punted the ball. Ron positioned himself near the landing point and caught the ball. Suddenly, all of Upperton D seemed to be rushing towards him.

He started running, controlling his breathing so he wouldn't let his superpower activate. As one of Upperton linebackers rushed, his lead blocker sidewinded him, opening a running lane for Ron.

He dashed with his normal human limits, and more defenders kept coming. He avoided first two with speed, but the third one was coming him from dead ahead. At the last possible moment before collusion, he did a lightning fast side step and got past.

After that, it was a clear run to the TD line.

The stands exploded with cheer, and he looked at Kim in sidelines, who was grinning madly.

* * *

Ron exited the locker room and walked to the parking lot. His father and Possibles were waiting. His father hugged him and James Possible patted him on the back.

"Eight touchdowns and 520 yard run completion, Ronald, you were unstoppable today! I think you need to come up with a catchphrase for your son John."

Jim and Tim hugged Ron as well. Kim came out of stadium, having changed as well. "So, how about we conclude the Ron Night with Bueno Nacho, Touchdown Boy?"

Ron's mouth watered and he felt Rufus doing the same on his shoulder. "You know me too well KP!"

His father walked into his car and called "Don't be too late Ronald. You know your mother gets a bit testy when we go to the Temple sleeping on our feet."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Feels Like Today - Rascal Flatts**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ron waved to his father and the leaving Possibles. Then started to walk to Bueno Nacho with Kim.

A slightly uncomfortable silence followed. Ron finally broke it. "So, what did you think? Did I look as stupid as I felt out there?"

Kim rolled her eyes. "Ron, I think Tara squealed at one point in the game, where you were avoiding defense like they were training dummies. You looked spankin' out there.

"Badical it is." Ron looked happy, but a little off as well.

"So spit it out."

"What?"

"You went on to be a hero on the field, and we are going to get Nacos. You should be dying from happiness, not just mildly pleased. Tell me what's wrong."

Ron hesitated. "Well... I'm still kinda thinking about Bebes...And how one of them almost got you..."

"Ron, it's no big, It's not like it's the first time we are brushing death."

"It's not just that...I think I may have been a tad too lazy."

"Just a tad?"

Ron grimaced. "Well okay, maybe a lot. My point is..." He stopped and turned to Kim. "Would you run me through a few moves when we get some downtime? I'll also try to catch up in classes as well, a gentlemen's C feels a bit weird now..."

Kim first looked puzzled, and then smiled. "Ron, I've been waiting years for you to ask for help." Her smile turned sinister. "We will get that hidden potential out in to time."

Ron looked horrified. "I think I just doomed myself."

* * *

_**To be Continued in: " Saving People...In a Flash."**_


	2. Saving People In a Flash

** UnStoppable Flash **

**Disclaimer: Kim Possible trademark and all characters belong to Disney.**

**DC Comics and all characters belong to Warner Bros.**

**Chapter 2: Saving People... In a Flash**

"I'm gonna say this just once, I can't believe you ditched my campaign to lead Wally's. " Kim glared and huffed at Ron.

"Politics is cruel business KP. My mama didn't raise no fool, I gotta go with the obvious winner." Ron took another big bite out of his sandwich, leaving the rest for Rufus. "As I said, conflict of interests."

"Your integrity and political stability is most admirable, Mr. Stoppable. And after you said I'd have his endorsement for the election as well."

"Now now, sarcasm is only after you lose the election Kim." Ron grinned as he watched Rufus devour the sandwich. " Besides, I did plan to have him endorse you, which would trash Brick's campaign. But when a prince decides to join into an election, weeeelll~" He shrugged his shoulders in a 'what can you do' gesture.

Kim suspiciously looked at Ron. "I've been wondering. How did you really evade those lasers after one of them got the tire of the go-cart?"

Ron waved his hands animatedly. "It was a bit crazy, but I made it to the treeline by running."

"Just running?"

"Zig-zags. Barkin has me doing those a lot, and they had crime fighting applications as well!" Ron hoped this would placate Kim. Her look at him after the incident was a bit disturbing, as if she suspected Ron to be someone else. "Besides, I've always been good at running away."

"Except that one time where a lightning bolt caught you."

"Yea, well, that was an exception." Ron decided to steer the subject away. "Anything came out from Wade's investigation? He sounded hopeful when he first started."

"Something about a tapestry revealing the truth. So I had King Wallace ship it overnight. I'll examine it tomorrow when it arrives."

"Well, here's to hoping you can figure it out, I can't have my candidate be assassinated. That'd be so Manchurian Candidate."

"So you finally watched it?"

"I actually read the book."

Kim did a double-take. "You, read a book? Without prodding and much appeasement?"

Ron looked hurt. "Hey I do read!... Sometimes. Besides, I took up speed reading."

"From where?"

"My father's technique. He showed me how. Apparently, reading fast comes in handy in actuary business." Which was technically true, Ron's dad had a speed reading technique which he had shown to Ron. He only didn't do his speed reading that way.

Kim took the books she needed from her locker. "Anyway, I really need him gone fast out of the house."

Ron knowingly nodded. "Mrs. Dr. P. freaking out?"

Kim sighed. "I think she may kill Wally in his sleep soon." She looked over from Ron's shoulder. "Better take care of your candidate Ron, he's going into the D Hall."

Ron squealed and ran to fetch Wally.

* * *

"Awaiting the light of a full harvest moon, Rodeghan's foe will soon face his DOOM. In the shadow of the palace we will not be deterred, the monarchy ends with Wallace the Third."

"So, for my own good, I should keep a, low profile?" Wally asked.

Kim got a bit fed up. "Guys this is serious! Wally, you are definitely a target! And next week is a full moon."

Wally raised his eyebrows. "Next week is also happens to be the election, which you would like very much to win, wouldn't you?"

"Well, she does have a point Wally. But." Ron raised from his chair, posing. "Your Highness will not be cowed into admission by terrorists. We must stand firm and tall against the axis of evil that seeks to-" Ron got sat down by Kim pulling him down onto his chair.

"First off, that speech is already used Ron, we kinda invaded foreign countries, remember? And second, forget about the damn election. I'd like to save him from the Knights of Rodeghan."

Wally seemed very sure of himself. "Miss Possible, this prophecy clearly states that I must be in the shadow of the palace. Now, do you see the palace? I don't, do you?"

Kim sat down dejectedly. "That's true I guess." She slurped her drink with an air of defeat.

Wally rose and waved around. "Farewell all, I'm off to biology class."

The entire cafetaria bid him goodbye, much to Kim's chagrin. Ron grinned. "Look at it this way KP, if something happens, I'll be around to intervene." At Kim's glare, he added. "Until you get to the scene of course."

Brick Flagg sat down in the seat Wally emptied. "Man, he could go all the way."

Ron raised his paper cup. " Yup, it's looking like Prince Wally is our next class president."

"Yea, I bet he'll make regionals."

Kim sighed. "Brick, there are no regionals for class president."

"Oh, he'll definitely be All-State."

Kim clenched her her fingers and tried to hold her anger. She took her tray and left the table. Ron collected his own tray.

"Hey Ron, Barkin will run us through new plays, he wanted me to give you the extended playbook." He took a folder out of his bag and handed it to him.

Ron thanked Brick and raced to catch up with Kim. She glared at Ron as they walked. "And that's your team captain AND the quarterback. You totally carried his ass last game.

"Actually KP, he is quite good while calling plays and throwing down long passes."

Kim's head fell forward.

* * *

Kim was having a really bad day. When she was trying to distribute her badges, she was told off by many people, stating that they were already voting for Wally.

When she ran into cheer practice, she came into the scene of the entire cheerleader squad gazing admiringly to a huge sized poster of Wally.

So, naturally, she infiltrated the school at night to replace posters of Wally with her own. For her defense, it sounded like a normal idea. Another plus, she was focus testing her new hairstyle, recommended by voters.

Because as we all know, human beings are so very rational when it comes to voting.

As she kept replacing posters, her Kimmunicator beeped. She answered immediately.

"Hey Wade."

"How's it going?" Wade sounded a bit too worried for replacing posters.

"I'm all over it. I'm putting out 'oomphier' posters and I've been focus testing my new hair. Voters wanted it pulled back. What do you think?" As she stroked the front side of her hair.

Wade retorted with slight anger. "I mean, since the prince was on TV. Do you think the Knights of Rodeghan don't know he is in Middleton?"

"Dunno." A strand of her hair stuck out of the bun she pulled back. She set down the Kimmunicator and pulled out a hair spray.

"The prophecy mentioned a full moon." Wade stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Sure did." Kim was still fussing with her hair, spraying the strand and her overall hair-do.

Wade finally got fed up. "Tonight IS a full moon!"

After her efforts, the strand of hair jumped back out, forcing Kim to let her hair out. " Yea, but it's like Wally said. He's nowhere near the palace. No palace, no prophecy."

"Where is he now?"

"At Middleton Miniature Golf Course with his 'campaign manager.' They were going to meet after his football practice." She then gasped. "The sixth hole! It's a palace!"

Wade started typing into his computer. "Get there now Kim!"

Kim turned off the Kimmunicator and ran.

As Wade's connection to Kim was closed, he called the watch on Ron's wrist.

* * *

Ron pleaded with Wally. "Your Highness, maybe we pushed the royal angle too much."

Wally gasped theatrically. "Bite your tongue!"

"Okay sure. Being a prince is how you got the voters' attention, but now, they seem to actually like you."

Wally was perplexed. "As a... person?" After a moment, both he and Ron was cracking up with laughter. After that died down, the prince looked around and asked. "Where is that caddie?"

Rufus slowly came up the hill by carrying the clubs. All the while chittering that sounded like "Oh yea, degraded into this. Why do you do that to yourself, why?"

As Wally picked his club and settled into a position, Ron's watch beeped. Ron turned to it and pressed the only button it had on the side. Wade's face shone through the miniature screen.

"Wade, what's up?"

"You are near that palace at sixth hole! Knights of Rodeghan are coming Ron! Keep Wally safe until Kim arrives!" As Ron threw his club to catch up with Wally, he added. "And don't blow your cover, just duck and evade. Kim and you can handle it the normal way after she arrives!"

Wally shot the golfball through the sphinx head he was aiming for. It came back after a second. He walked over to it and spoke with extreme pompousness. "By royal decree, I demand a do over!"

Ron ran to him at normal speed, but suddenly, the sphinx head exploded. Time slowed and he took the last two steps to Wally in super speed, tackling him out of the explosion.

Out of the exploded mini structure, a tall man dressed in full medieval body armor jumped through. He brought down a metal stick he had in his hands towards Wally's prone form. Ron kicked Wally away, making the strike hit the ground. As he rose from the ground, Kim jumped in between Wally and the man.

"I can't allow you to smash my presidential opponent." She swept the knight's feet under him, knocking him back.

Wally ran and grabbed Kim's arm. "Thank goodness you arrived. Does this mean that I can leave?"

Ron looked back and saw a similarly dressed knight taking aim with what seemed to be a glowing 'pointy-ball stick.' Without thinking, he went into super speed and pulled both Kim and Wally out of the firing line.

Kim was suddenly pulled away, and she watched chunks of plasma blasts scorch where she was just standing. She and Ron pulled Wally up and started running away immediately.

The first knight jumped in front of them, with the other one catching up from behind, they were surrounded. Both knights started circling them while chanting the prophecy.

"Awaiting the light of a full harvest moon, Rodeghan's foe will soon face his DOOM. In the shadow of the palace we will not be deterred, the monarchy ends with Wallace the Third."

Wally started rambling. "We-well as you know, I'm known far and wide as Wally so surely-"

The first knight's staff hit the ground he was crawling towards, stopping him in both his speech and tracks. The knight raised his staff, only for a grappler to grab his wrist in midair.

"Leave him alone!" Kim was holding the grappler-hair dryer, keeping his arm steady.

"This is none of your concern little girl!" He pulled his arm back violently, putting all his weight and power behind it. Kim was hurtled in the air towards the ground.

"Voters will not like this." Ron joked around as Rufus handed him a club. He threw it to Kim as he shouted. "Kim, catch!"

Kim caught the club, and then fired the grappler upwards to a tree. Just as the knight with the glowing 'mace' ( it was called Mace, Ron just recalled.) trained on her, she shot upwards. The intended plasma blast instead hit the first knight standing across.

As Kim disappeared above in the trees, knights turned to Wally. Ron looked around and saw a mini-Titanic, which made him come up with an excellent idea.

He used the club he gathered from the ground as a lever, setting the mini-Titanic on the hill's edge and towards the knights. "The Titanic's going down!... Again."

As Wally pleaded for his life, the mini-boat came down from the hill and hit both of the knights. Wally fell to ground, immediately gaining his royal spunk. "I will grant you nothing! On second thought, you will get, nothing."

One of the knights lifted the miniboat over his head and threw it nearby. Wally immediately started begging for his life again. "Pleeeasee , I will give you anything!"

Kim's grappling line folded around his waist and then pulled him upwards to the treetop. Kim set him down. "Stay here and be quiet." She jumped away onto the mini-windmill nearby.

One of the knights spoke in exasparation. "The prophecy never mentioned her."

Kim mocked them. "Prophecy schmophecy."

The knight got angry and used his staff as a jump stick, propelling himself on top of the windmill, nearby Kim. Kim evaded him and jumped onto the arms of the windmill, performing a full turn and then drop kicking the knight full frontal as she came back with the arms.

"Maybe you should rethink this whole career choice." Kim taunted them. The knocked down knight passed out.

The other knight seemed very angry. "That's it. No more mister nice knight!" He charged his mace to full capacity and fired it towards the windmill. It exploded as Kim jumped away.

Ron saw the explosion and feared for a moment, before seeing Kim holding onto the side of the mini Pisa tower. The knight charged another round and fired again, forcing Kim to leap down. Resulting explosion rained cheap building materials on top of her, not really harming but inconveniencing her.

Ron was sure she couldn't see anything at this angle, so he sped up and came behind the knight, then jump kicking his back with all his power and some leftover speed. The knight rolled onto the "Old Faithful" sign.

The sign began to bobble and a bell started to ring, alerting that the water jet below was about to activate. Kim picked herself up and watched as the water jet blew the knight across the field.

Ron came near the knight and pulled out the rolled-out lawn under him, rolling him into it. Then he pushed the knight down the hill like a barrel. "Boo yah."

After the police picked the knights up, Wally came down the tree. "Kim Possible, you saved my life."

"No big. Just doing the teen hero thing."

"No, you are a true leader. You have my vote."

"Well, that's at least two votes." Kim smiled tentatively.

* * *

"All right, that's two votes for Kim Possible, zero votes for Brick Flagg and 998 for Prince Wally!"

Student body cheered as Kim sat near Ron with utter disappointment. Ron tried to console her. "The guy has leadership experience. He's very good at giving orders."

Kim watched as Wally's father arrived and they talked. "Well, at least we know one thing now."

"What's that KP?"

"Latest training allowed you to kick someone from behind. Good job Bruce Lee."

The hero and the sidekick shared a good laugh.

* * *

Kim finished up in the library and looked near her, where Ron was still going over class material. Lately, after asking for her help, he had began to study harder. The road was long but Ron was reasonably intelligent when he was motivated, so she was sure it was going to be okay.

"Ron, I'm done for today, you haven't finished yet?"

"Barkin's extra work. He is making me do extra homeworks both for the missed classes and to get my grades up. Apparently, he doesn't allow his players to drop beneath a certain level." He puffed as he was slinking in the chair. "And I was told jocks would get free passes from schoolwork."

"Only in the movies Ron. My mom's gonna pick me up soon. Sure you don't wanna come?"

"I've to practice a bit after finishing this anyway, so no." He looked upto Kim. "Your brothers and father from soccer practice huh?"

"Tweebs in J.P. Bearymore's Pizza Partytorium: Mayhem in Middleton II." She looked as if she dreaded the idea. "See you Ron."

Ron watched her go and then checked around. Library was somewhat emptied before closing time, and the corner he had been studying with Kim was completely deserted.

So naturally, he went into super speed mode and started flying through the pages.

* * *

Kim shouted. "Those are not children! I'm not even sure they are human!" Her Kimmunicator beeped. "Wade, what's the sitch?"

"There's been some trouble at J.P. Bearymore's Pizza Partytorium."

"Tell me about it. My dad's totally out of action."

"No Kim, after you guys left. They were robbed!"

Kim sighed. "I'll get Ron."

Wade quickly interjected. "No need Kim, I'm already contacting him from his... house."

Kim shrugged. "Okay then, tell him to meet me at J.P.'s."

A few miles away, in the abandoned airfield, Ron was doing speed training. Suddenly his watch beeped once.

He saw a text rolling on the screen. _ Trouble at J.P. PartyTorium. Kim's on the way. Meet her in ten minutes. East of parking lot clear for speed entrance._

"No rest for the Ron-Man." He quickly gathered his towel and shirt, stuffing it into his bag. He super sped to his house to change into mission clothes.

* * *

Ron walked out of the treeline near the Partytorium parking lot. He saw Kim arriving via walking from the other side.

"Ron, how did you get here? I thought you were at your place?"

"I was. I ran ahead, probably." Well, this wasn't a lie.

Kim scanned him but then gave up. "You are taking the runningback thing a bit too seriously Speed-Boy." She came near to straighten his shirt. She saw his football undershirt sticking out and glanced at Ron.

Ron smiled sheepishly. "Didn't exactly have time to change. Anyway, Wade didn't tell me a lot. Trouble, he said?"

A few minutes later, the waiter was frantically explaining the situation. "They stole J.P. Bearymore!"

Ron patted the leftover robotic beaver. "At least you still have the backup band."

The waiter facepalmed. "The bear was totally carrying those hacks. J.P. is state of the art in animatronic musicians."

Kim pointed to the ceiling, where a big gaping hole was letting them see the night sky. "Whoever those thieves are, they are not subtle."

They sat nearby and called Wade on Kimmunicator. After some prodding, Wade started showing them details. " That bear is quite a piece of work Kim. State of the art, inside and out."

Thinking about the implications, Kim thought out loud. "Okay, so we need to think about who might want it." As they spoke, a giant metal claw snatched the robot beaver.

"Industrial rivals?" was Wade's suggestion. Ron's was, of course, "other animal bands?"

As Kim rolled her eyes and turned to Kimmunicator, Ron saw the giant metal claw being lowered on to the robotic hippopotamus. He stood up with shock. "Pizzapotimus!"

He ran and jumped to catch the robot, and succeeded. Kim followed with a "Ron!" and jumped towards him as he screamed. "Not Pizzapotimus!" Kim grabbed Ron's legs and they got raised along with the robot.

They saw the claw was attached to a helicopter. Kim saw the pilot and co-pilot. "Señor Senior, Sr. and Señor Senior, Jr."

Up in the helicopter, Jr. remarked. "Looks like we picked up a few passengers. Kim Possible and her sidekick type friend whose name escapes me."

Señor Senior, Sr. opened his side door and shouted below. "What is your name again young man?"

"It's Ron! Ron Stoppable!"

Jr. looked relaxed. "That's right! I'll smash them into a building!" He tilted the copter so Kim, Ron and the Pizzapotimus would crash into a giant Smarty-Mart advertisement near the side of a building.

Senior lunged at the controller. " Junior no!" He tried to raise the helicopter back up.

Ron saw the billboard getting closer. Without much he could do, he let his power activate and review it in slow motion. The only option to avoid a crash was to, seemingly, propel Kim upwards.

Just as the helicopter started rising back up, he pulled his knees to his chest and then let them drop as he twisted his body upwards, effectively throwing Kim towards the Pizzapotimus.

Kim, even though she was a bit surprised, caught PizzaPotimus and started to shimmy up the cable. She reached the top and jumped into the cabin. She came face to face with Senior, who promptly kicked her out back.

As she fell, Ron swung himself and grabbed her arm. However, a single hand grip on the animatronic Pizzapotimus was not enough and slipping quickly.

Kim pulled out her hairdryer grappler gun and fired it towards the nearby Bueno Nacho's giant Taco sign. It connected and Ron let go. They swung around the giant Taco and landed on the bushes.

As they stood up from the bushes, Ron saw the Bueno Nacho. "C'mon Kim, we don't have much time."

Kim sighed and pointed to the sky. "Ron, they are in a helicopter, we are never gonna catch them."

Ron signed over to the Bueno Nacho. " Who's talking about them, Bueno Nacho closes in three minutes! I've not eaten since lunch, I'm starving." Rufus poked his head out from the cargo pants' pocket and agreed. Then Ron promptly ran into the fast food joint.

Kim rolled her eyes and watched the helicopter get away.

* * *

The following day, Kim and Ron was ending the schoolday in Study Hall.

"KP, this cannot go on." Ron slinked in his chair.

"What?" Kim paid little attention as she kept reading something from the Kimmunicator.

"Studying. This much. I've already finished my own homework, Barkin's extra work and then some for next week."

"It's not for schoolwork."

"Working on the Sr. and Jr. case?"

"Wrong again."

Ron extended his neck and read what Kim was looking at. "Ah, soccer. Or as the English call it, football."

Kim turned to him with hope in her eyes. "So you know a lot about soccer?"

Ron leaned back and put his legs on the study chair's arm. "Of course. I'll teach you all I know. Let's see, soccer is the world's most popular sport, you can't touch the ball with your hand-"

"Unless you are the goalie." Kim interjected.

Ron looked surprised and relaxed at the same time. "Really? Okay, well that's it, the student has surpassed the teacher. Naptime." He closed his eyes with his hands behind his head.

Kim rolled her eyes and gave an audible angry sigh.

* * *

Ron watched in fear as Kim interfered with anything and everything on the field. "I should've guessed this would happen when she said she would have to coach the soccer team instead of her father." Rufus nodded on his shoulder.

Kim was intercepting kids plays', insisting on showing everything herself, and overall angering the kids. And now she was bombarding the goal protected by Tim with an endless barrage of penalty shots.

Ron felt sorry for Tim, at least for a few seconds.

Kimmunicator beeped after a few more minutes of the live-action torture show Kim called soccer practice. "What's the sitch Wade?" She turned to the kids and shouted "Visualize goals!"

Wade interjected from the screen. "Visualize Señor Senior, Senior."

"What did you say?!"

"Triple S have struck again."

Kim turned to the team. "Listen up team, I've gotta jet." Unsurprisingly, jubilation within ranks was unabashed and unbound. Kim glared at them. " It's that kinda attitude that says 'extra header practice.' Now remember, hustle. I'll be back as soon as I can."

She turned to Ron who looked like a deer in flashlight. "C'mon Ron."

* * *

"First animatronic animals, now a bright burning gas. This sounds more like something that Toyman dude up in Metropolis I read recently about would do, instead of the Seniors."

"Well, we don't have an invulnerable alien around Tri-City so we will deal with it when we figure it out."

Ron checked his watch, secretly also a communication line to Wade, and caught the time. "Kim, I gotta hit the hay, there's a 'dawn-mad-dash' courtesy of one mad Steve Barkin tomorrow."

Kim waved to him as he ran, then turned towards getting to the Possible residence. When she got to her house, James Possible was sitting with his leg on a rest, and reading newspaper.

"How did it go Kimmie?" He turned a page on his paper.

"Oh you know Dad, usual supervillain stuff." She stepped up the stairs to ascend to her room.

"I meant the soccer practice Kimmie."

Kim's eyes grew as she realized one big mistake. "Uh-oh."

Suffice to say, Jim and Tim was not even remotely happy that night.

* * *

Ron craved some early and deep sleep, right away, but he also inexplicably had some craving for a Naco as well.

Okay, well, he _almost always _ craved some naco, but he was geniunely hungry this time. In fact, his usual hunger levels had been elevated since the lightning strike.

_One more thing to speak over with Wade, I guess._

He looked around, seeing he was alone, suddenly took off towards the Bueno Nacho. By his estimation, he should still have about ten minutes before it closed. His super speed brought him near the fast food joint under seconds, and much to his delight, the building near the place had a narrow alley he could stop to normal speed.

He walked out of there and went into Bueno Nacho, and hurried to Ned, who still seemed to be on the clock. "One chimmerito on the pronto my man!" Ned, who was already adept at handling Ron's requests, whipped up one final batch of the greasy treat.

After paying and receiving his order in a paper bag, Ron placed it in his bag, intending to eat it at home. As he returned to the alley he first came out of, he heard a faint scream from the other side of the street, where it was even darker between two tall buildings.

Setting his pack down, he super sped to the edge of one of them, peeking from the corner. Looked like a guy with a shaky knife was in the process of mugging two young...

_Wait a minute, is that Bonnie and Tara?! Oh boy. What the hell they are even doing here at this hour?!_

He contemplated his options. He had begun to receive some elementary fighting education from Kim, and already it was paying off, albeit very slowly. So he could theoretically go on as normal Ron, swipe the blade and knock the dude out.

Also theoretically, he could super speed and knock the guy out before the two girls even see him as more than a glimpse. But Wade had warned him against pulling these kinda stuff without a suit, and it was not certain if he'd be seen or not.

Then he remembered his fight against Drakken's henchmen a week ago. When he still didn't know he had super speed, time had slowed down, allowing him an incredibly large reaction time, yet still moving at normal speed. Could he do that?

"Ladies, no one needs to be harmed. Bags, purses, emptied, now!" He heard the thug talk in a gruff voice. Time was running out.

_Third option it is. Besides, at worst I'll use a little bit of speed to cheat._

He walked into the alley loudly, getting the attention of the thug.

"You know my man, mugger in the dark cliché is so over-worked, you need new themes if you want to succeed in the criminal underworld."

The man seemed lost. He was wearing a black jacket with a black beret, somewhat obscuring his features in the dark. "Wha? Who the hell are you?"

"The one and only, awesome sidekick, Ron Stoppable. And by the way, I'm serious about you branching out. I should know, I know a few supervillains and all."

The thug turned to him with his blade in front. "Get lost fucker. Or I'll make you."

Ron waved his hands as he approached the guy. "Whoa whoa, language. There are young ladies in attendance."

As Ron walked within striking range, the thug lunged and swung his blade at him. Ron let time slow down for him, smirking still.

_Easy part is done, now to actually move at a slow enough speed that it seems normal._

As the blade approached him from the right side, he very slowly dodged it, and then again, very slowly caught the thug's arm in the air. Still in super speed, he tweaked the wrist rather violently and then let himself return to normal speed.

The thug in question cried out loudly as he felt his wrist snap and blade falling from his hand. Ron followed up with a kick to his stomach, which knocked him to the wall nearby. After that, he watched as the guy picked himself up and ran away crazy.

He then turned to Bonnie and Tara, frozen in shock, with slight annoyance and a mild anger coursing his veins. "Okay, this might be Middleton with nice, low crime rate, but even so, what the hell you two are doing at almost ten PM in the evening, alone by yourselves, on a frigging _dark alley_?"

Apparently, coupled with Ron's glare and his tirade, the shock was a bit too much for Tara as she collapsed sobbing. Bonnie found the strength to speak this time, albeit shaking slightly.

"We.. We were hanging out in the mall, and then.." She stopped to breath. "We didn't notice the time when we were in Club Banana.." At which point, Ron rolled his eyes. "So to get our homes faster, we decided to take a short..shortcut."

Ron shook his head as he helped Tara on her feet with Bonnie. "Next time, take a safer route. Better yet, call someone. Doesn't Brick have a car that he can pick you up with?"

Bonnie stood silent. Ron sighed. "Let's get you two home." Along the road, he added. "And let's keep this quiet, since the dude ran away and all, no need tell it around and make it a police matter."

To Ron's amazement, he heard no mean names or "loser"s from Bonnie on the way home.

* * *

"You get one chimmerito and then they give you like dozen little packets of Diablo sauce. You can't possibly use all these sauce!" Ron exclaimed as he emptied the paper bag. "Somewhere there's a landfill filled with unopened hot sauce, and someday I'm gonna find it!"

Kim was not really paying attention as she was bouncing a soccer ball on her feet. "You know, if I put on the uniform, I could pass as a ten year old. What do you think?"

Ron caught the ball that bounced from Kim's head. " What do I think, I think for one, you'd be one damn tall ten year old, and two, it's just a game and your natural competitive Kim-ness has taken you to a very dark place."

Kim grabbed the ball back from Ron. "The team needs an edge."

"You are the coach!"

"I'm a hands on coach."

"Yea, hands on soccer. Interesting." Ron remarked with obvious sarcasm.

Kimmunicator beeped. Kim asked Wade after opening it, without missing a beat. " Wade, do you think it's wrong to pitch in to help my team?"

Wade counter-questioned. "Like fundraising?"

Ron dropped sarcasm across the table. "Like playing forward."

"Then I'd have to say yes."

Kim looked sullen. "So... What's the sitch?"

"Watch this, Junior calls it his calling card."

Kim and Ron sat wordlessly as they watched the ridicilous video.

After the video, Wade remarked. " Well, they shouldn't be hard to find."

"Yea, the map helps." Kim glared at Ron after this. "What, it does."

* * *

"This time, I'm staying inside the basket." Ron stated as he sat down in the hot air balloon they were currently riding on.

Kim was going over details on her Kimmunicator. "I hope this doesn't take too long. I promised the team I'd do some power drills today."

Ron looked alarmed. "Power drills? The same drills you had me going through lately?"

Kim waved her hand slightly. "Not the exact ones, of course, they are more tailored towards soccer purposes." Seeing Ron's worry, she shrugged. "Hey, no pain, no gain."

Ron gulped and steeled himself towards the incoming storm. "Uh Kim, the team kinda wanted me to talk to you about your... coaching technique."

Kim turned and her voice took a dangerous turn. "What about my coaching technique."

"Too much technique, not enough coach."

"What's that supposed to mean?" At which point, Kim's arms was crossed, a bad omen.

"They just wanna have fun Kim."

"Winning IS fun, Ron."

Ron facepalmed. "See, that's your Kimness talking."

Kim deadpanned. "Well, I _am _Kim."

"It's just a game, with small children, who cry when they see you coming!"

Kim turned away in annoyance and hmphed. "Fine, we'll let the team decide when we get back."

"Going down!" was balloon rider's warning.

* * *

Ron was flabbergasted. Utterly horrified. "What have they done with Pizzapotimus?! And where is J.P. Bearymore's banjo?"

Junior started speaking. "I'm so sorry. But tonight is my grand opening. It would be most inconvenient to give up now." He added after pointing to his moving eyebrows. "Did you see the thing with the eyebrow? Nice touch, no?"

Ron deadpanned. "Yea, you are a regular Batman Villain Junior." He turned to Kim. "Uh, KP, other than wrapping Pizzapotimus in polyester, this doesn't seem even remotely evil."

At this point, Senior and Junior went into a tangent on how to deal evil threats and all, which made Kim and Ron watch with little to no mirth.

However, they realized their error as Senior activated a switch and a very bright disco ball descended from the ceiling, captivating their eyes. Even Rufus, who poked his head out of Ron's pocket got hypnotized.

As Senior explained how the modified disco ball allowed instant hypnotics, Junior, of course, got upset over how everyone was standing still, which he concluded with a "Everyone must dance!"

Like on cue, Kim and Ron started dancing. And started speaking in very zombie voices.

"Gotta dance." and "Can't stop dancing." and even Rufus' "Must boogie."

* * *

A few hours later, they were locked in a cage suspended above the dance floor of Junior's club. The guests had been hypnotized and Senior had demanded ransom from world's governments in exchange. Ransom was; being named King of Everything.

Yes, it is possible to say that he was a far outcry of a villain than the likes of Joker.

All the while, Kim, Ron and Rufus was still dancing in the cage. Worse part was that they were aware of what was happening, so it was humiliating in that regard.

With his sensible mind still active, Ron tried to go into superspeed so he could somehow break the hypnotic effect, just long enough to get sunglasses from his backpack. Unfortunately, the physical dance command had overriden everything so to the point that he could not accelerate a single molecule within his body, therefore disabling him to access the slow motion time.

Wade finally tried to reach them from the Kimmunicator and seeing their predicament. After a few tries, he managed to get Kim's glasses on Kim's face, finally releasing her. She jumped over to Ron's cage and got his sunglasses out, and onto his face as well.

They jumped down to face Seniors. "Cancel the coronation." Kim remarked.

"Ah, Kim Possible. You are so resourceful. Unlike some people I could mention."

Junior whined. "Always with the putdowns! Where is the praise?! Where Father?!"

Ron chose this moment to comment. "Señor Senior sounds like a soccer coach I know."

Kim was still angry over Ron's comments from earlier. "Oh, does he have too much Kim-ness now too?"

Ron tried to recover. "Not exactly. He's just a control freak, you are...Well, you are totally like... That's weird."

Senior Sr. pulled out his remote again. "You know Kim Possible, disco ball is not the only thing I modified."

Suddenly, Bearymore's eyes started to glow and then fired highly concentrated laser beams. Kim and Ron avoided the first blast by rolling sideways.

Then the animatronic bear tore the cage apart and jumped down. Ron's comment to the situation, ladies and gentlemen. "J.P. Bearymore has gone rogue! First they take his banjo, now this?!" ... Moving on.

Luckily, they were at the edge of the dancing floor, so very few people were there to get hurt by the fired lasers. Both of them knew however, it was going to be very bad as Senior Sr. ordered the other robotic animals to attack.

Suddenly, all four robots started firing beams. "KP, civilian targets everywhere, where to?!"

Kim opened Kimmunicator as she dove for cover behind a booth, meanwhile Ron was drawing fire to himself in a limited area near the edge of the room.

"Wade, can you hack into the system controlling the animals?"

"Kim, it's the most sophisticated system I've ever seen."

Kim shouted over the beam sounds. "It's a banjo playing robot!"

Ron, while dancing around lasers, shouted. "They took his banjo!" He also realized the robots were getting closer and boxing them in a small area.

"I can't hack the bear. Let me try the beaver." As he spoke, a rain of lasers drove Ron away towards other side of the room and forced Kim behind the booth, going the other way.

To add to this crazyhouse, Junior lost it. "Father has made my party a major drag. Everybody DANCE!" And suddenly, every single person without sunglasses in the crowded room began dancing. Effectively cutting off Kim from Ron and vice versa. Coupled with the fact that there were now very big chances of collateral damage.

The bear kept shooting at Kim while the other three followed Ron. He saw many of the lasers were going to hit guests. Seeing no other choice, he went into superspeed and started picking up people and placing them behind booths and the bar.

Kim heard some sort of air displacement sound from the other side of the room, followed with a couple blasts and booms. She was too busy dodging Bearymore's attacks to check on it though.

On the other side of the world, Wade finally got into the systems of otter and the beaver. Kim relaxed a bit as she heard Wade speak. "Kim, I took out the otter and the beaver."

"The bear is here, but Hippo is on Ron!"

"Ron can take care of himself, take that bear out, I can't stop it!"

She looked for a way to take the bear out. She saw the disco ball and grappled near it, kicking it away from it's hanging place. Without the disco ball's bright light on top of the room, the entire club was left to the alternating light show, save for the spot the ball landed on.

Meanwhile, Ron had cleared the section he was in and moved the people. The otter and the beaver stopped. After that, Ron's watch turned on and Wade spoke. "Ron, Kim's busy with the bear, lights are mostly out, take the hippo out NOW!"

Ron, understanding what Wade meant, let himself feel the quickening, and blasted towards the Pizzapotimus with all his might. He took the few meters he had between them in an instant, and rained down a storm of punches for three seconds straight.

Pizzapotimus blasted to the wall behind it, torso entirely broken, leaving exposed wires. It tried to shoot one last laser beam from the eyes. Ron got close and kicked the animatronic head in.

As Kim was lowering herself, she shouted to Ron whom she tried to see in semi-dark. "I'll be right down Ron!"

Ron saw the brightly shining ball amongst the guests and answered while running. "No Coach Possible, this is my ball!" He ran through the guests, this time with normal speed in case Kim was watching. He reached and kicked it towards the robotic bear.

The bright light caught Bearymore's recognition system, and it fired the laser towards the ball. After a second, reflected beam fried its systems and the laser chamber placed in the eyes.

Ron fell to the ground after that, yelling " Goaalll!"

Senior Sr. pulled Junior out from under Bearymore and admonished him. "This is the last time I let you run the show."

Kim landed near Ron and praised him. "Nice hustle." They poised themselves to take down Seniors, but Senior Sr. activated a mechanism which obscured him and his son in very thick smoke.

Ron couldn't do any super powered stuff with Kim watching, so they watched helplessly as the father-son duo got away.

When the smoke disappeared, Ron was crushed. "I hate it when they got away."

Kim turned to him and saw tears coming from under the glasses. "Are you crying?"

"I just remembered that I bashed Pizzapotimus to death with my own hands!"

Kim's eyebrow rose. "Hands?"

Ron, thankful for the club ambience and semi darkness, gathered himself. "Figuratively Kim. I did that with a chair, but all the same... I killed Pizzapotimus!"

People were starting to come to themselves, but Kim had more important matters to attend to.

"Come on, let's go. I gotta do some hands-off coaching."

Ron hid his bruised knuckles from Kim on the flight home.

* * *

James Possible stood on crutches, watching his sons and their team play without 'Kim'interruptions. "The important things is now they are having fun. I'm glad you see that now."

Kim was sitting with her head in her hands, dejectedly commented. "Whatever."

"Kimmie, you better perk up. You're the coach."

Ron interjected. "Not anymore Dr. P. While Kim was learning to let go, the team let _her _go."

"Who's coaching now?" James Possible looked around for a suitable figure.

Kim, still in the same pose, pointed towards the robotic bear on the sidelines. "The guy with the banjo."

* * *

Later that day, they were sitting in Bueno Nacho, just the two of them. Twins and Dr. Possible had returned home.

"I meant what I said back there."

Ron, too busy stuffing his face, replied with a "Wha?"

"Nice hustle, I mean. Not just with the ball either. You kept the robots busy while I was speaking to Wade. Took one of them out by yourself. From what I've seen, you had even pulled some people to safety."

Ron chewed his food and then swallowed. "Sidekick, distraction, it's all in the job description. Easy peasy KP. Besides, all the evasion I practiced today, other runningbacks pay for that kinda training."

Kim grinned. "Then you won't mind doing a three hour combat training tomorrow."

Ron's groaning was audible enough to be heard outside the joint.

* * *

Ron made another skin of the teeth evasion a reality, and then ran onto score a touchdown. Lincoln High, current leader of division, was up by 15 still.

Their defense was leaking passes and runs all night long. At offense, the holes Mad Dogs created was getting plugged in with figurative lightspeed. Even with Ron's collegiate level speed and inhuman reflexes, and him trying all night long to find holes, he had only four clear TD runs, and only had maybe 200 yards in total gained.

_4th quarter, 49-34 , three minutes on the clock. Unless Lincoln fucks up big time, we will need two onside kicks and a follow up to even have a chance. That is, if they even go for it._

Apparently, Lincoln High coach had the same idea. After Mad Dogs' onside kick, which Ron failed to get to, due to an army of watchers tailing him, opposition went for clean, short passes for small gains to get first down.

With thirteen second left on the clock, one of their passes finally got waylaid. Barkin called a timeout and then substituted the offense. He called Ron and Brick near him. "Stoppable, Flagg. I need you two to make a statement. Flagg, take the snap, and if need be go all the way back to safety to get to ball to Stoppable. After that, I need you to make a full field dash Stoppable. Doesn't matter if you actually make it. Put the fear of your legs in them." He stopped and gestured to the fans in the stands, who were still cheering for Mad Dogs. "They deserve a good ending."

Ron's eyes found the cheerleading squad, in most part sullen looking now. As the team walked over to the huddle, Kim seemed to come to a decision, and after speaking to Bonnie quickly, got her team in order.

Brick explained the plan for the final play, assigned everyone to blocking and opening a path for Ron at right wing of the field. As they started to take positions, a chant started to fill the high school's stands.

"Unstoppable! Unstoppable! Unstoppable!" When Ron turned towards the stands, he saw entire cheerleading squad was chanting, and the audience was chanting as loud as they could.

His resolve hardened. _They do deserve a good ending._

Only 20 yards away from the safety, Brick called the snap. Almost immediately, the linemen broke off, as planned for block plays. Brick immediately tossed the ball back to Ron, then got promptly sacked by two linebackers and a defensive lineman.

This proved advantageous for Ron as he started his dash towards right wing. Half the right side was already gone, and his blockers was already intercepting the remaining defensive linemen.

He let himself breathe as he dashed, controlling his body so no superpower would interfere. He saw the cornerback breaking away from his coverage, coming at him full speed. Ron slowed to three quarters of his full speed, and as the cornerback reached him, he blasted back to full speed, throwing the cornerback off key and in his dust.

He watched as the remaining defensive lineman moved to block him. He was slow and big, which made Ron passing him easy a matter as faking left and blasting towards right.

Ron dashed past two blockers and finally saw an open line to TD line. Only the safety and outside linebacker was remaining, and they were seemingly gonna tag team him. Linebacker approached from infield, his left and corraled him towards the safety closing down head on.

Then Ron did something entirely unexpected. He took a half step towards right, getting a foothold, then propelled him towards the linebacker. The linebacker, although shocked, made a move to grab him with both arms.

Ron rammed himself into linebacker with his left shoulder, all his speed translating into power. Then, as the linebacker lost his footing, he spinned on his heel and got free of the arms around him, immediately resuming his dash.

The safety, shocked by the move, failed to react in time, and watched Ron dash past him towards infield.

Ron scored the touchdown and then sat down near the goal post after that. With the loss, state championship was gone, as this was their first playoff game and their opponents were the seeded leader.

With their record, a last place spot on playoffs was the best they could do. Ron had only played 5 matches in the 10 games long season, having joined the team only halfway.

_If I had only joined sooner, or tried harder.._

He lowered his head and took off his helmet and mouthguard. He heard some cheers in the background, but he was a bit away from it all at the moment. He heard someone walking near and holding his shoulderpad.

"Get up Stoppable. You need to look happy for the fans." Steve Barkin took hold of both shoulderpads and brought Ron to his feet. "Possible is also coming this way, you don't wanna be crying when she gets here."

_Crying? _Ron felt something hot and wet on his cheeks then. He quickly wiped his face on his jersey. Barkin patted him on the back. "That's it. No need for drama. No shame in it either. You did your best. Now, chin up." Then he left to pick off some other players from the ground.

He heard quick steps approaching after that and forcefully put a half smile on his face. Kim had run all the way from sidelines, and promptly hugged Ron when she reached him. "Ron, you were amazing! It was your best play yet!" She broke the hug and looked at his face. "Seriously, what happened to the 'Marinating-Man'?" She grinned after that.

_He got shot by a lightning bolt. _ "I dunno Kim, I just did what was asked of me."

More and more people came upto him and congratulated him on his performance. Bonnie, when she got back from consoling Brick, patted his shoulder awkwardly, which was telling a lot. Tara, shyly kissed him in the cheek, which was also a message in itself, but Ron was not in the mindset to think those things.

His father and James Possible also came up and congratulated him. His father, sensing his sadness, patted him on the back as he hugged Ron. and whispered "Go hang out with Kim afterwards, we'll return home no problem."

Ron returned to the locker room and showered. After the team huddled in locker room and Barkin congratulated everybody, they said farewells to the seniors. For everyone else, a promise to work harder and get better next year was made. Without exception, even those who used to make fun of him as an all-time loser, hugged him and fistbumped with him.

When he got out to the park near the field, he saw Kim waiting in her normal clothes. She seemed very quiet as he came near and sat on the bench she was sitting upon. Rufus peeked out of the pocket to look at his face.

Neither one spoke for a while. The park cleared out as people slowly left the stands and people went to their homes or friday night parties. After a while, they were all alone.

Ron looked dead ahead, then his gaze turned to his shoes. He was aware Kim was watching, but didn't care. She was his best friend, and seemed to understand. He slowly croaked out a few words. "I didn't know losing hurts this much.. when... when you try hard to win something."

Kim's arm surrounded his hunched shoulders and pulled him towards herself. "It's okay Ron. It's okay, you can cry now. No need to hide it like you did on the field." She was patting him in the back as well. "Let it go."

As Kim held her best friend, whom she thought she knew so very well, realized that Ron was trying to grow up. And it was hurting him. Ron cried on Kim's shoulder silently, without making so much as a hiccup, but shaking violently.

"That's why we train, study and work harder Ron. So when we give it our all, we won't feel regrets."

A muffled, agonied voice spoke from her shoulder. "I goofed around too much. If I had tried out for team myself, earlier...If I had trained harder.."

"You know you can do better, and that hurts. It's okay Ron. You did your current best, but you'll do so much better next time. I believe you can."

For a while, Ron cried, but the shaking eventually subsided and stopped. All the while, Kim never stopped hugging him or rubbing his back.

"Thank you KP. You really are the best."

* * *

Wade called Ron next morning. "We gotta meet up."

"The airfield?"

"Yes. Also bring your mission clothes. Pick me up from my house."

Ten minutes later, they were on the airfield. Ron had picked up and carried Wade on his back to the abandoned place.

"No equipment with you?" Ron scanned Wade and his backpack for said equipment.

Wade shook his head and pulled out a dark red suit from his backpack. Then he pulled out a small scanner device. "No need. I've put on a few sensors into the suit. It'll get me some readings I need."

Ron took the suit and checked it over. "Feels a bit heavy."

"It's supposed to be. It's a similar fabric firefighters use in their turnouts. Not as cutting edge as some other things on the market, but the others require a lot of capital."

"And neither of us have much money to our name. You rock all the same Wade. Still though, how did you get even this?"

"I do some cyber security consultant jobs remember? I'm not totally penniless Ron. And this is relatively cheap. Reinforced leather woven by polimer threads. Nothing groundbreaking." Wade scanned the suit and took some clean readings without Ron in it. "Although, in future, I'd like to further the design and material, so don't get too attached to it."

Ron took off his clothes and put on the suit. It was not totally form-fitting. _Thank God_ he thought. It was only slightly loose and when he completely pulled the zip, it felt like a nice fit. No moving parts, for instance. The boots provided by Wade also seemed special with outside fitted with same material, and the soles having a sturdy looking black material. He pulled on the attached hoodmask after the boots.

"How will this stay on in superspeed?" Wade pointed two straps on each side which secured the hood mask onto his suits neckline.

"Booting up my system now... Vitals look good. Suit reading is just fine. On board communicator...set."

Ron heard a slight static from his right ear, and when he brought his hand near there, he realized there was a two-way earpiece built-in to the hood mask. "We can speak anytime?"

"Well, only when you are normal speed of course. And within Kimmunicator transmission ranges. This works the same way." He came and touched a hidden button on Ron's neck. "Voice changer activated."

Ron nodded and took up position. "Ready for run test?" Wade gave him a thumbs-up.

Ron took off on the airfield, with the best speed he could muster right now. He felt good within the suit, it didn't hamper any visuality, the usual uncomfortable feeling that comes with running with normal clothes were gone, and his feet felt grabbing the floor rather well, even in superspeed.

He stopped at the end of the airfield and touched his right ear. "Wade, do you read me?"

"Loud and clear, connection is stable. Suit reads fine. Run a few laps for me Ron, calibrating the settings."

"A few laps will take me barely half a minute."

"More than a few laps then." Wade laughed into the connection and then closed it.

Ron started running.

* * *

Ron was sitting near Wade with his new suit still on him. They were sipping on juice Wade had brought with him.

"Your bloodwork came back a few days ago. By all accounts, you are the picture of health, according to the screens."

Ron raised his eyebrow. "No evidence of superpower? Weird thingies and all not in it?"

"Looks like my initial assumption was correct Ron. Your power is deep within your DNA now, all the way down to molecular level. Actually, you are moving fast, because you are accelerating your entire molecular structure to a high spin state."

Ron lowered his head. "I'll get back to you on that when I catch up at Physics. For now though, any dangers?"

"Your cellular regeneration is an advanced healing factor. The increased hunger you mentioned is due to your increased metabolic speed, but due to the healing factor, you are not aging rapidly as you would normally, in a state like that. By all evidence and my readings, you are actually aging slower, if anything."

"Wow." Ron was speechless.

"Keep in mind that I'm not a bio-engineer or geneticist. We might need to do more in depth research later, but for now, you are entirely risk free on the superhero work. Aside from the eating part, but you already ate a lot so..."

Both of them shared a laugh over Ron's antics.

After a while, Wade seemed to grin a bit too sinister. He then dropped a bomb.

"So...Kim consoled you huh?"

Ron spurted the juice he was sipping. "What, how, why?!"

"Security camera in the park, duh."

"Dude, you are really cool but you can be downright scary sometimes."

Wade shrugged nonchalantly. "As you would say, 'I am what I is.' Anyway, that was an awesome game, dunno why you cried like that."

Ron looked at Wade. He was much younger than Kim and himself, but most of the times, it was a safe assumption that he was more mature than both. This time, however, he doubted if he could understand.

"Wade my man, I dunno if you would understand... You are literally a superhuman on anything intellectual. Yesterday was...I dunno... humbling for me."

He kept going after he saw Wade listening intently. "As you know, I never tried that hard on ..well, anything. After the lightning bolt, that whole disaster, then Bebes... Finally Barkin forcing me onto the squad..."

"I'm trying a bit harder, but up until yesterday, I did not know. I did train hard for the last five games, but if I had tried out myself, or trained harder earlier...If I had been a little more serious... Losing after working like that... hurt me."

Wade rolled his eyes. "Ron, we all fail...Eventually. I made mistakes, most of them you were a first person witness too. Time and again, I'm fearing that I just sent you and Kim to death."

"I'm screening the requests on the website so nothing crazy gets through. Did you never wonder that you kept getting whacky, not-really-evil criminals or simple rescue or recovery missions?"

Ron shook his head, suddenly realizing that most of the time, their villains were pretty tame. "For most part, we never get any requests from Gotham or Metropolis for instance. Or, when a New York socialite asks for help, I let it through, but when someone wants a mob boss taken off the street, I delete that immediately."

"I didn't know...It must be hard." Ron put his hand on Wade's shoulder.

"Sometimes it is. Ignoring a request from a little girl in Italy to rescue his dad from the mafia, for instance. Or there was the time when an old lady from Starling City requested help to find information about his son dying in hospital, under suspicious circumstances. There have been more than a few tough calls."

"Does Kim know?"

"She doesn't. I think. If she suspected it, she never asked."

"Then why do you..." He couldn't finish the question.

"Ron, her name is known. Your name, while very obscure, can easily be found with a web search. And up until that lightning bolt, you two were just normal, Kim's an excellent specimen of human conditioning, yes, but at the end of the day, a normal teenager is still a normal teenager."

"So, operating primarily in Tri-City Area, still doing small missions like retrieving baby eagles from mountain perches..."

"I've designed the system to be it like that. Kim wants to help people, and she does. We get to make the world a little better, bit by bit. We get to bag those villains." Wade turned to Ron. "But now, we have a chance to make a real difference in the long run. I've been going over meta-humans in record, past and present."

He typed into his laptop and then showed it to Ron. Ron went over the information and then looked at Wade. "World War Two era? ... Justice Society of America? This sounds familiar..."

"It should, nowadays they might be entirely forgotten, but before it broke up to send some members to war, it was the place for greatest superheroes. And at their forefront.."

Ron spied a man with a funny helmet with lightning figures and a lightning emblazoned shirt. Then he looked to the lightning emblem sewn into his own suit. "Is that..?"

"That's the original Flash. I figured, since you already have a predecessor, we might just as well use the name."

He kept reading the page until Wade stood up. Suddenly, the laptop beeped twice. "I think your battery is running out man."

Wade ran over and took the laptop from him. "That's not battery alarm. That's my specific search string returning an alert. Superhero work."

Ron put on the mask and strapped its locks. "Ron, one final thing. Within your earpiece, the police scanner frequencies are built-in as well. I'll show it to you later. For now, armed robbery in progress, Grand Upperton Bank at Upperton Central. Silent alarm was triggered, but police can't make it faster than five minutes."

Ron did a little salute. "Be back in a.. Flash."

Wade got pushed by the sudden air gust as Ron left.

* * *

"Put the money in the bags, move, move, move!" A man with a celebrity mask was holding the bank attendant on gunpoint. Two others with similar masks was standing guard over the hostages. The final guy was trying to get the bank manager to open safety deposit box room.

Suddenly, they heard a wind sound and the revolving door was.. revolving, as if someone just come in.

"You know, I'd wait in line for a withdrawal like anybody else. Cutting the line, looks like someone missed the manners class in school." Someone with a deep voice spoke from behind them.

They all turned, guns pointing to a man in a red suit. The apparent leader of the robbers laughed. "You shoulda waited for Halloween to break out the costume, freak."

The man waved his hands in a 'what can you do' gesture. "Oh well, I tried to be nice."

Suddenly, as hostages watched, the man in the dark red costume exploded forward and became a blur. After only a moment, all their weapons were taken from them and piled in a far corner of the bank. The costumed man was now standing in front of the robbers' leader.

The leader got very angry and pulled his butterfly knife. After a few flips, he tried to stab the freak. He missed as the freak suddenly moved half a meter to the right.

"Missed me." He swung the blade again.

"Close, maybe next time." And again.

"Nnngh, three strikes, and you are out." The freak grabbed him and then the whole world was a blur for him.

Ron rotated the man in super speed and then put him through the bank's glass walls. He then turned to the other robbers and proceded to take them out by more conventional punching and kicking.

Two minutes later, the police arrived to the scene to find four robbers sprawled on the ground, piled on top of each other.

* * *

When he returned to the airfield, he found Wade and Rufus watching real time stream of the local TV station. He took a look at the headline.

_The Man in Red Stops Robbery. _

Wade took a look at him and then jumped up in delight. "It worked!"

"What worked, the suit was already working, no?"

"No I mean...the entire hero thing. You didn't die or anything."

Ron deadpanned. "Gee thanks Wade. Your reassurance is truly rock solid."

Wade waved him off. "Don't get too cocky on me Mr. Sidekick."

Ron took off the suit and put on his own clothes. "We better get back. Mom's gonna chew me out if I miss Temple time again."

* * *

As Kim was cleaning out the dishes from dinner, she took a look at the living room, where her father and brothers were watching TV.

_"In other news today, the new hero who calls himself The Flash stopped a highway chase without any injuries to all involved parties. This totals to the fourth police event Flash have intervened and solved. It's correct folks, Tri-City seems to have gotten itself a superhero."_

His father turned towards the kitchen and called to Kim. "Maybe you can now take some time off Kimmie-cub. This new 'Flash' character seems to have it well on hand."

Kim glared at her father. "I'm fine with what I do, Dad."

The twins, of course, took upon this chance to anger Kim. "Sounds like _somebody _ is jelling!"

"So totally green-eyed."

Kim huffed and ignored them, going to her room.

_Superhero! Hmph! I need no superpowers for what _I _do._

She was not jelling. Not one bit.

* * *

**Author's Note: Sometimes in life, the motivation to work hard can come from unlikeliest places. Anyone who have done competitive sports can relate to what Ron was feeling after that game. **

**As always, reviews are most welcome.**

* * *

_**To be Continued In: "About Jackals, Monkeys and SuperPowered Suits."**_


	3. About Jackals, Monkeys and Suits

** UnStoppable Flash **

**Disclaimer: Kim Possible trademark and all characters belong to Disney.**

**DC Comics and all characters belong to Warner Bros.**

**Chapter 3: About Jackals, Monkeys and Super Powered Suits.**

Kim and Ron landed after their latest mission-return drop. It was an utterly boring mission involving tagging certain migrating birds with GPS chips, so environmentalist groups could track the patterns. Coincidentally, Ron now had some washing to do with his mission clothes.

He had other things in mind though. GWA had a promotion event at Middleton Mall, and he fully intended to be one of the first hundred fans to get a T-shirt. Of course, since the mission had been a tad longer than expected, he now had to ditch Kim somehow. He suspected Kim was not a big fan of wrestling.

"Well, mission's been ...not nice, but at least completed." Kim herself had some dust on her, still miles better than Ron. She patted herself off after landing. "Wanna hit Bueno Nacho after we change outfits?"

Ron shook his head. "Uhh...No... I kinda have to be somewhere soon so I'll take off now."

Kim, of course, wanted to know. "Somewhere to be? Where?"

Ron tried to avoid the question. "You could take an early night, you know, be refreshed for tomorrow morning's practice we are gonna do for?"

Kim tapped her right foot with her arms crossed. She was not amused. "Ron. It's not even 6 PM yet. Spill."

Ron sighed. "Fine... I'm gonna go to the mall to attend the GWA promotional event."

"GWA? What's that, a secret online game group or something?" Kim thought her own joke was funny.

Ron was not amused. He answered with slight disdain. "GWA. Global Wrestling Association. How can you not know this already? It's only the most excellent sporting organization in the world!"

Kim shrugged. "Wrestling. So fake." Ron glared heatedly. "Oh well. I might as well drop by Club Banana, they are supposed to have brought in the next season's cargo pants."

Ron looked a bit crestfallen at that. Kim elbowed him in the ribs. "What, being seen with me will lower your street cred or something?"

_No, but now that you are tagging along, I can't zoom ahead and avoid the trample fest that is sure to follow. _ "Nah, I was just thinking how we were gonna avoid crazed fans who want to get in first."

"We'll manage. If all else fails, there are always airducts to crawl through." They started to walk towards the mall. It was fairly close, so Ron thought maybe he could bypass some of the crowd.

Kim's question broke through his plans. "So did you see that guy on the news? Flash?"

_And there we are. She was gonna ask me about it sooner or later. _ "Looked like a blur on that highway chase bit. Guess the guy is real fast."

"Are you buying into his superhero vibe? I feel something majorly off with this character."

Ron was now intrigued. "Like what? You can't even see him clearly, he was too fast the time they could film him."

"I read the newspaper about that bank robbery he prevented. Hostages said he was in full costume, making jokes. While there were guns involved. Seems to me like he is craving fame more than heroic intentions."

_Claws all out I see. _ Ron sighed. "Kim, you know, a lot of cities have one superhero or so. Statistically, one of them was eventually going to pop up in Tri-City area as well. Rule of Cool states that all awesome cities must have one superhero."

"Well Tri-City already had a-" Kim immediately stopped and closed her mouth as soon as she saw Ron giving her a very sinister grin.

"Somebody's jeaalooous.~" Ron singed.

"I'm so NOT jealous." Kim pointed towards her clothes. "And I dress off the rack, much more eco friendly than a 'superhero.'"

Ron supplied helpfully. "And of course, said off the rack clothes being Club Banana's best fabric is completely unintentional."

"You need the best gear you can have on the field, including clothes. Plus, they breathe well."

"I buy 'em off Smarty Mart and I do fine enough. Admit it Kim, you are a huge brand snob."

"Shaddap." Ron simply avoided the slap to the back of his head and grinned.

* * *

Kim and Ron leapt out of the airducts and landed on the first floor of the Mall, rolling and finally coming to a stop.

Kim scanned around incredulously. "When I said there were always airducts, I was _ joking. _"

"Look at the bright side Kim, at least your clothes were already dusty."

A group of wrestling fans passed by them, adding to the crowd in front of the GWA stand. They were yelling Pain King's name. Another group did the same, shouting Steel.

Kim rolled her eyes and waved dismissively at the crowd. "All this, just because some wrestlers are making a mall appearance?"

"Not _ just _some. Pain King and Steel Toe!" Ron got into the mood. "Pain King's got a bionic eye, don't even think about looking into it. Or you'll writhe on the floor in total pain."

Kim shot a sarcastic smile. "And I suppose Steel Toe actually has steel toes?"

Ron smiled. "Nah, that's just a publicity gimmick... They're more like titanium actually. A freak industrial accident." Rufus came upto Ron's shoulder and affirmed his owner.

Kim kept up the sarcastic smile. "Riiiiiiight."

Suddenly, a loud voice boomed over the speakers. "Listen up Middleton! Are you ready for action?!" Loud cheers ensued. " Are you ready for headbumping, chest thumping, back breaking, ground shaking CONFRONTATIOOON!?"

"Is that the Pain guy?"

Ron answered while clapping. "Noo. That's Jackie Oakes, founder of the GWA."

Meanwhile, Jackie Oakes introduced the wrestlers on the stand. Crowd went mad.

Kim rolled her eyes. "Okay, I'm in the mall and not shopping. What's wrong with this picture?" Then she turned to leave.

Ron reached for her shoulder to stop her, to show how wrestlers would battle with words as well, but his watch beeped. Twice. _ Superhero job signal._

"I'll find you here after shopping at Club Banana Ron. They are doing a tie-in with Museum's Cleopatra exhibit. Have fun."

Ron waved her off. "Yea, happy shopping." He turned on the watch's screen.

_Lowerton Warehouses District. Shots fired. Police in chase of an armed robber. One cop down with injury. Hurry up._

He ran to the restrooms nearby.

* * *

Kim walked into the Club Banana retail store. As soon as she walked in, she saw the loveliest dark green cargo pants.

"Hellloo civilization." She leaned in and hugged the pants. In retrospect, that was also a weird move.

Suddenly, an overly excited voice spoke near her. " Oh my gosh, how much do you love Cleo's Cargos?" Kim looked at the owner of the voice. Near her stood a classical African-American beauty with long dark wavy hair, chocolate skin and black eyes. Course, for Kim, she noticed her clothing first, which was all Club Banana premiums.

"Way much." She returned to the pants, looking for the color she was looking for. Then both she and the girl spoke at the same time.

"You'd look good with these in green." with "Do you happen to have these in green?"

Kim, practiced by years of friendship with Ron, drew the first blood. "Jinx you owe me a soda!"

After picking out her pants, they went to the register for payment. The girl asked "Do you belong to our Club Banana Club?"

Kim smugly passed her membership card. "Charter member."

The other girl read the card and immediately got excited. "Kim Possible?! I thought it was you, the stuff you do is soo amazing."

Kim smiled. "Ah, it's no big. But thanks."

"I'm Monique. Just moved here." She extended her hand.

Kim took and shook it. "Cool. Where do you go to school?"

"Middleton High."

"Me too!"

"I start Monday!"

Kim got really excited. "You totally have to let me show you around."

"Deal!" Then they heard a TV voice speaking up. One of the other employees had just increased the volume of the TV that was standing on one of the corners.

They looked and read the headline. _Police In Pursuit of Armed Robber. _ The news helicopter was apparently doing an overhead recording of the area.

_"... As you can see, the police have cornered the robber near the containers in Warehouse District. Our news copter is on the scene, bringing this to you live! We are with you Janine."_

The voice switched to the on-site reporter's. _" Police have been chasing the suspect for twenty minutes now, where he shot up a convenience store and took off with all the cash in the register. They cornered him but he apparently had more than one gun and took the police by surprise. As you can see, one of the officers were shot near the containers and now hiding behind a small one, but the other officers can't get to him!"_

Camera focused in on the injured officer. Kim felt bad, as she wanted to help, but couldn't get there nearly in time. Her thoughts were interrupted as the reporter screamed.

_"Oh my God, a red streak is fast closing in! Focus the camera!" _ The three employees, Kim and two other customers were all watching as the aforomentioned red streak closed in and stopped near the officers hiding behind a cop car. Camera zoomed and shown him while standing, with the dark red suit.

_"He seems to be talking to the officers. He now looks over to the injured officer- Oh my god!" _ Kim had to agree, as Flash, and it was clear that this was Flash, exploded into a flurry of speed and picked up the injured officer in an instant. She couldn't even blink, and watched as the speedster came to a halt near a completely out of the angle container and set the officer down. On-site paramedics rushed towards them.

Before they could reach there, Flash exploded with speed again. _"I think he will go for the- Oh dear Lord!" _ Before reporter could say anything, the armed man was flung out of his hiding spot with extreme speed, bouncing and rolling many times on the ground. The red ball of lightning moved again and caught him before he came to a stop, then threw him near the officers behind the cop car.

Then, as they watched, Flash turned towards the copter, made a little 'see ya' gesture with his hand and then exploded away from the focus of the camera.

Kim let loose a breath she didn't realize she was holding. She had seen the car chase, but this time it was clear how fast the guy was. Monique squealed near her.

"Oh my gosh, this town is so cool! Kim Possible and this new hottie superhero!"

_"There you have it folks, we watched, on live television, The Flash saving the day, under ten seconds or less! Stay tuned in for upcoming details.."_

Kim stood there, thinking. _ I'd had to do some sneaking and maybe a distraction by Ron to even get to the perp and disarm him, he just runs in and cleans up. _ And as she realized what she was thinking, she realized. _ I'm so jelling..._

Monique shook Kim's shoulder. "Ah, Kim, you okay?"

Kim pulled herself together. "Just shaking it off. Watching it from TV is a bit of a different experience for me."

"He must be an amazing hottie, the way he pulls that suit off..." Monique went into dreamland as Kim bid her farewell to meet with Ron.

The crowd near the stand was still thick, and they were now frenzied, wrestling each other. Kim scanned the crowd for Ron. She didn't see him at first, then spied blond messy hair amongst the crowd. He was apparently being carried on hands.

She avoided and dove through a few combatants, avoided some, then leapt off another's back to scoop Ron up and onto the stage.

As they landed, Jackie Oakes approached them. "Honey, that some performance. You ever think of a career in professional wrestling?"

Kim rolled her eyes. " So. Not."

Oakes chuckled. "I tell you what. Here's two tickets to Mayhem in Middleton." He handed Kim two yellow tickets. "Enjoy yourself on Jackie."

Ron went mad when he saw the tickets. "These are backstage passes! You get to go backstage with backstage passes! We're the backstages!"

"And hang out with some guy named Steel Cage?" Kim knew her sarcasm well.

"Uh, KP, Steel **Toe **is a guy, Steel Cage is.. Well, a cage."

"You take 'em." Kim slapped the tickets on Ron's hand.

Ron went into shock. "You can't just give them away! Do you know what these are worth?!" Then he realized he had them now. Then he grinned. "Okay, you can give 'em to me."

Ron then caught up with Kim. "I'm off to home I guess. I'll do some light studying, then it's latest Steel Toe vs. Pain King match on rerun!"

Kim rolled her eyes at Ron's antics. " Have fun with that. I'm going to the Cleopatra's Closet Exhibit at the Middleton Art Museum. It's a special preview for Club Banana frequent buyers."

"So in other words, you feed the brand hundreds of dollars each year and all they give in return is some preview to a stuffy museum show that will probably make you sleep?"

"Quality clothing plus cultural benefits Ron."

"Whatever let's you sleep KP. See ya." Ron walked off as Kim waved.

* * *

_"That was a close one." _ Wade's voice rang through the watch. _"You barely made it back in time to get caught by one of those crazed fans." _The watch's voice quality was a few notches below the usual Kimmunicator.

"Well, I made in and out, no one's the wiser. So it's all good." Ron was standing near the parking lot of the mall.

_"You going to head home now? Police scanner is clean, everything seems cool for now."_

Ron shook his head. "I'll do a little bit of running in the airfield, that little exercise was barely enough to get me going. I've excess energy to burn."

* * *

Couple hours later, Kim walked into the Art Museum. Immediately, someone called out her name.

"Monique! I should've known you'd be here."

"Exclusive preview. The Queen's accessories. Girl, it is all good." Then she checked out Kim's new pants, which she herself had helped to pick out. Kim had paired them with a nice pink tank top and stylish sneakers. Monique loved the style. "I love your new pants!"

Kim pointed to Monique herself with similar pants. "And you? Very Cleo."

A blonde woman with an impeccable purple suit called out to the exclusive guests. "Good evening. It's my pleasure to welcome everyone to this special Club Banana preview of Cleopatra'sCloset."

She led them through a hall and towards the exhibit. When the group reached the exhibit however, a guard was tied up on the ground.

Kim immediately took control. "Call security and stay together." She immediately pulled her Kimmunicator from her pocket. "Wade, trouble at Middleton Art Museum. Can you tap into the security cams?"

"Tapping." was Wade's response. Kim heard a running and turned towards it, closing the Kimmunicator.

* * *

"Ron, I streamed it to your watch, got it?!" Ron, already in his suit, nodded.

"Middleton Art Museum. On my way." He blasted off.

He reached the place under a minute, then ran straight into the exhibition hall.

Monique suddenly heard a loud noise and felt a strong wind hitting herself. A few meters ahead, The Flash was standing. He immediately spoke. "Trouble? Where is it?"

Monique pointed towards the door Kim followed through. "Kim Possible went after whoever did this! Over there!"

Ron ran through the door and up the stairs in super speed. When he reached the roof, he saw Kim looking near an air vent, and suddenly something bright shone behind from it.

As Kim approached there, something jumped behind it and... Barked.

_No time to think, catch it up! _ He exploded past Kim and tackled the creature. Both Ron and the creature went down, rolling on the roof's concrete. Ron righted himself into a one kneeling position.

The creature was small, shorter than Ron. But it looked more stocky. Real problem was its other features. It was also furry, and its head was a dog's head. Or at least, it looked like a dog. Ears were big, and from what he could see, its teeth were sharp.

On a second look, he also saw it was wearing a skirt and had golden rings around his arms, finished by a... _glowing amulet! _

**"Don't interfere puny man!" **The creature leapt and smashed where Ron was just standing, who evaded the blow in superspeed. Smash had caused small cracks in the concrete.

"Okay, so you wanna play rough doggie. Here boy, here here." Ron taunted it. The creature went mad and jumped towards him, fully intending to demolish this insolent insect.

He crushed the air vent that was just behind Ron, who had evaded again. This time though, he stayed in motion and released a storm of punches towards the creature's exposed gut.

The effect was that it howled and took a few steps back, but aside from that looked just fine. Then it turned to Ron.

And then Kim came down on the creature with a drop kick, apparently bounced off from an earlier jump of hers. It howled again, and then swung its arm in a wide arc, which Kim evaded and tried to counter with a spin kick. The small sized creature showed great agility and caught her foot, then in a single move, flung her away, effectively throwing her off the roof.

Ron's heart skipped for a second. Without thinking at all, he exploded and jumped towards Kim, whom he grabbed in the air. That being said, they were heading towards the adjacent building's roof, so Ron stayed in motion and hit the roof running. After jumping on three more roofs, he finally stopped.

Kim was flabbergasted, as the experience of being thrown through the air by a small canine looking humanoid, getting caught in the air in superspeed and then being carried would do that to someone. She looked at her rescuer and tried to see his face in the darkness. He already wore a mask hood which covered most of his face, but she couldn't even see his mouth and cheeks in the darkness.

Ron sat her down immediately and took a few steps back, ensuring he was in darkness. He looked back to find a trail of that glowing creature, but found none. Apparently it had escaped while he was jumping on roofs.

Making sure his voice changer was on, he asked. "Are you okay, Miss Possible?" Kim heard the voice, and she was sure there was a voice changer involved, as it was too deep and had slight distortions.

"Yea, as okay as one can be after that mad stuff." Kim got up and walked upto the guy in the red. Surprisingly, the guy took steps back as she walked, apparently keeping his distance.

"Well, okay then, have a nice night Miss Possible. I'll make sure to get that.. thing next time." He turned but before he could go into superspeed Kim shouted.

"Wait! Who are you?"

"The concept of the mask is to hide one's identity." The Flash tapped his mask with his hand while his back still turned towards Kim.

Kim deadpanned. What did she expect really, this was a natural response. "I mean, what are you doing in Tri-City? Or better yet, why are you doing it?"

"If by 'it', you mean the hero stuff, I do it because I want to help people. As for why I'm doing it in Tri-City, it might just be because I live here."

Then, without allowing Kim to speak more, he exploded and ran the side of the building, then blurring into the night.

Kim stood there, frustrated of losing both the thief and the Flash.

* * *

Ron got into his room and threw his bag near his bed. He was spent. Not physically, but that fight and the subsequent nervousness of talking Kim in the suit was taxing on his nerves.

As if on cue, his phone rang. "Stoppable residence, Ron here."

Kim's voice rang through the phone. "Ron, you won't believe what happened tonight!"

"What did happen?" Ron tried to feign interest.

"Gee, could you be any less enthusiastic, you are bursting with joy there."

"Sorry Kim, but you were gonna be at the museum, what could've happened?" _Well damn, I'm turning into quite the little liar, nice going Stoppable._

"Glowing thief with animal body, a rooftop chase and uh, I met Flash."

"No shit?! What was he like?" _ Oh yeah, ask her about yourself right away, again, nice going. _

"He was odd. Used a voice changer. Saved me from a fall. Then blasted off without a goodbye... Nice body though."

_And Kim just effectively grossed me out and made me blush at the same time._

"Gee Kim, Josh Mankey not enough for you?"

"Ron!" After that, Ron heard the telltale beeping of the Kimmunicator on the other end. "Wait a minute, I'll get it close so you can hear too."

Kim pulled Kimmunicator close by to the phone and then turned the conference mode on. "Go ahead Wade. Ron's listening as well."

Small silence followed. "Did you brief him?"

"Very short. Details can wait for later. So?"

"The only thing stolen from the museum was a small talisman. It was a gift to Cleopatra from the High Priest of Anubis. The Jackal headed Egyptian deity of mummification."

"A mummy, gross. I bet she'd rather have nice earrings."

"Don't be so sure. This talisman was supposedly enchanted."

"Oh come on, who would believe..." She suddenly remembered the creature, with the glowing amulet. "That..."

"Maybe that glowing guy on the roof?"

"Yea... Good point... So what does the talisman do?"

"Superhuman strength."

"At least it's not immortality... I guess. Or super speed. I literally can't handle one more of those."

"What's wrong with the first one?" Wade was just being nasty now, knowing Ron was listening.

"Rude and showboating. Wise-ass too."

"I'm sure he's not bad Kim, he did save your life."

"I guess...Thanks Wade." She turned off the Kimmunicator and picked the phone back up.

"Well, sounds like it was a fun evening. How were the Queen's old clothes?" Ron asked.

"I barely got to see them! Right after I hooked up with Monique, the museum was robbed by that glowing animal headed guy I mentioned. Then Flash came and I got thrown off the roof and-"

"Whoa whoa whoa. Back up there Kim. Who's Monique?"

"Really, all that happens and _that's _ the part you picked up? Anyway, she's a new friend. Really great. Anyway-"

"Where did you even meet her?"

"I met her at Club Banana, then again at the museum, right before I chased the glowing robber."

"So what's she like?"

"The robber?"

"The friend Kim, the _ new _ friend."

"Ron, focus. There's a glowing guy running around Middleton with some kinda supernatural powers."

"Oh well, I'm sure we'll get him. I'll see you tomorrow."

"By the way, I'm meeting up with Monique early tomorrow to show her around. We will do the training later, okay?"

Ron felt really annoyed. But didn't let it show in his voice. "No problem KP. G'night."

_New friend, is it? Well, hellooo the start of all my highschool nightmares... Or maybe I'm blowing this out of proportion._

* * *

Ron entered the cafetaria to get his lunch. Then he saw Kim sitting with an African-American girl.

_She looks familiar... Oh yeah, the girl at the museum who told me where Kim went. Duh, Kim said they were there together._

He bought a bearclaw for himself and went to the table. What he heard did make him hesitate though.

"...back up of my skirt was caught in my underwear, the whole time!"

"No way."

"I could've died. He almost did." Kim finished her story animatedly.

_See, this stuff I'm excluded from, I'm not complaining. Still..._

He took up a chair and sat down near Kim. "Hello ladies."

"Ron. What are you doing here?"

Ron's eyebrow rose. "Uh... Lunch?" He shook the paper bag that had his bearclaw in it.

"Right." Kim motioned to first Ron and then Monique. "Ron, Monique. And vice versa."

"Badical." He took out his pastry and then offered it to the girl across the table. "Bearclaw?"

"No thanks, I'm a vegetarian."

_Was that an attempt at a joke? Oh god, that was bad. _ Ron shrugged. "Your loss. I eat the paws of my fallen enemies at every lunch." _ See, this is how you joke missy._

Monique looked around after giggling at Ron's joke, then turned to Kim. "Okay girl, I heard that there was a football player here that has broken all your school records, and some statewide ones. Unstoppable Stoppable. "

Kim got blindsided. Then decided to have a bit of fun, seeing Ron had his bearclaw in his mouth and couldn't speak. "Stoppable? What would you want with him?"

"First off, the blogs I read was saying he was a dreamy blonde. And second, I need a status symbol on my arm, like right now girl!"

Ron, who was still chewing his food, started laughing. Kim smiled sardonically and pointed to him. "Here you have it Monique, Ron "Unstoppable" Stoppable."

Ron couldn't stop laughing. Monique was embarrassed, then turned to Kim. "Girl, you are so evil. There will be payback." Kim grinned. "Sorry, couldn't resist."

Ron, finally swallowed and asked. "So, dreamy blonde eh. What do you think, does blogs do the Ron-Man justice?"

Monique hmphed at him. "Media blowing facts out of proportion, more like."

Ron held his chest dramatically. "Alas, I have yet again been hurt in my ego!"

Monique finally smiled with the other two. Then took her tray as she stood up. "I'll better get to class now. Later Kim...Um, nice meeting you Ron."

"Likewise I'm sure."

Kim looked at Ron after Monique left. "You had to push the joke further, didn't you?"

Ron shrugged. "I am what I is Kim. We still on for tonight, Mayhem in Middleton?"

"Those tickets are for you. I kinda already made plans with the...uh, Monique."

Ron's face fell. "So, this is the part where you tell me where growing up means growing apart. I've heard it before Kim. Billy Bulwicki, second grade."

"You are so blowing this out of proportion."

Ron didn't answer and instead stood up. He dropped the tickets on the table. "Here, Jackie gave these to you."

Kim picked them up and tried to give them back to Ron. "And I gave them to you!"

"And I'm giving 'em back to you!" He quickly took one. "Except this one. But only because it'll be the highlight of my life." He walked away.

"Ronnnn." Kim sighed.

* * *

"Slow night. Just stopped a mugging and pulled a lady out of a biker's path."

"Why are you even doing patrol Ron, I'd notify you if anything happened." Wade's voice came back from the watch.

Ron checked the time from the little indicator on the screen. "Waiting till Mayhem in Middleton door opening time. I've finished my school work earlier."

"You used superspeed in your own room to make it go ultra fast, didn't you?"

"Don't blame the playa Wade, blame the power. Looks like it's gonna be showtime in a bit, I better go civilian."

"Check you out using superhero terms there Ron-Man."

Ron closed the watch screen, changed and then super sped to an alleyway near the Middleton Arena.

When he got inside, he showed his backstage pass to a security guard, whom then directed Ron towards behind a curtain into backstage.

Inside was a few semi-famous wrestlers and celebrities, along with a few other guests. He found himself an empty seat and sat down. As he did, a metallic banging got closer. He turned and saw Pain King and Steel Toe approaching.

Rufus ran upto his shoulder as well. "It's Steel Toe and Pain King! So close I can touch them!" Then he turned back and relaxed in his chair. "But I won't. Coz I'm cool."

He called out to them as they passed. "Yo Steel Toe. 'Sup Pain?" He touched Steel Toe with his finger as he passed. Which sent him into fanboy mode. "I touched Steel Toe!"

Steel Toe turned around and looked at Ron. Then he pointed to Rufus. "Your gerbil's totally bald man."

Rufus nodded as Ron spoke. "Yes, thank you. Could I have an autograph? Could you make it to Ron please?" He raised his shirt and showed his chest to them.

"Wow dude, you are ripped. For a guy your size. Anyway, uh, let me get a pen." Pain King turned and called. "Yo Jackie!"

"Where is that guy? I need my sunglasses, pronto." Steel Toe looked around as well.

"I'll get them!" Ron volunteered. "Can I? Please, please please!"

"Sure kid. They're in my dresser."

Ron squealed and ran off towards dressers. He got the first door on the right when he reached there... And then he wished he didn't see this at all. Jackie Oakes turned into a humanoid jackal and grew as he watched, way past the size he was yesterday, and towered above him.

And now he had glowing eyes. Glowing eyes equals trouble, and like any self respecting nerd, Ron knew this well. "You know what, I'll just come back later."

The jackal didn't look amused and grabbed him. Then he was thrown through the room, outside the door, and then _through the goddamn wall_ behind him. He was now in a supply closet.

The Jackal walked out the room and then through the Ron-sized hole in the wall. As Ron was still trying to gather his bearings, he spoke. "Tonight, the world will see the face of power of... THE JACKAL!" He glowed again and this time tripled his size, growing immensely large and tall. Rufus got out of Ron's pocket, and Ron motioned him to stay away.

"I've seen, I believe." was all Ron could say before Jackal picked him up with a single hand, which covered Ron almost completely. The monster walked through the hole, and then threw Ron with such force that he went through one wall, then another, flying into the Arena floor itself. His trip in the air was ended as he met Steel Toe charging into Pain King, taking Toe along with him on the ground.

Pain King raised him from on top of Steel Toe, while Ron groaned in pain. "What are you doing?"

Ron managed to point towards the approaching Jackal. " There's a problem... Him."

* * *

Kim was moping as she mixed her latté.

Monique picked up on her bad mood. "Not enough froth on your latté?"

"No... Uh.. I'm just feeling guilty.. I kinda blew off Ron to be here tonight."

"Why didn't you bring him along?"

Kim raised her eyebrows and shook her head. " Unless someone put a waiter in a headlock, this is definitely not Ron's scene. Besides, he had a date with _Steel Toe._"

Monique got excited, much to Kim's surprise and chagrin. "He scored tickets to Mayhem in Middleton?! The GWA rocks!"

Kim's face went offline and she deadpanned. "What."

"Pretty tacky, I know. But my brother hooked me up. Pain King's my boy!"

"I can't believe you and Ron have something in common."

The Kimmunicator beeped. Kim took it and answered, but even before she could inquire about the 'sitch', Wade shouted. "Kim, Ron's in serious trouble! The creature from before is in Middleton Arena right now, and have put Ron through a few walls already!" The screen switched to the security cam footage of Ron hurtling through the air out of a wall and towards the ring.

Kim took her bag and started running as Wade spoke. "Kim, apparently Jackie Oakes had stolen an ancient papyrus parchment and combined its incantation with the talisman. The spirit of Anubis is now possessing him, he needs to be stopped."

Kim closed the device and ran like hell.

* * *

The Jackal walked onto the ring and got over the ropes.

"Who the hell is this guy?" Pain King as he set Ron down, who was trying to ignore pain shooting all around him.

Ron answered. "It's Jackie Oakes! He's got supernatural powers!"

The Jackal turned towards the ring and walked upto them. "You all said I was too small to get into the ring." He threw a throaty, creepy laugh. " Here I am! You still think I'm too small?!" He stretched and towered above them, making it easy to see that he was at least three times taller than everyone else.

He then proceded to pick up Steel Toe and Pain King and raised them above his head. His intent was clear, he was going to smash both wrestlers into the ground, with devastating effect.

Ron got up and walked towards the monster. "You made your point Jackie, now put them down!"

The monster turned and directly looked at him. "I'm no longer Jackie. I am now... THE JACKAL!" His glowing eyes shot an intense beam at Ron, who got thrown above the ring, above the stands and finally through the wall. Again.

Kim, as she ran into the arena, saw Ron's predicament. She started to make her way towards there, but there were too many spectators around there, and the Jackal on the ring was roughing up the two wrestlers.

Ron slowly rose from the rubble he was in. Looked like that he was in a service corridor behind the stands. Worked better for him. As he stood up, he winced. _ Broken rib or two. _ He now had to get to his backpack, which was still in backstage.

He sped through the crowd, jumping above most and sticking to behind the stands. Backstage was now empty, and he got his backpack in super speed. He also changed into the suit in superspeed, in the supply closet he was first thrown in.

He winced as he stopped to catch his breath. The right side of his chest was hurting with each breath. He ignored it. "Time to go to work."

Kim jumped on the ropes and then into the arena. Then she felt a strong gust of wind and looked to her right. The Flash had arrived.

"Possible." Flash didn't even look at her.

"Mr. Flash."

"We gotta stop meeting like this, otherwise I'll associate you with a canine race."

"Ha-ha, I'm so not in the mood. Let me help take this guy out so I can go help my friend."

"He's the dude that was put through the wall?" Kim nodded as they both watched the Jackal, who now had turned to them. "Harsh. Give me a two sentence rundown."

"Super strength, magic glowing amulet with Egyptian God powers."

Jackal roared. "Superheroes to face me! How fitting! Come and meet your doom!" His eyes shot the beam again, this time towards Kim. Flash pulled her out of its way quickly. The beam tore apart the sidebar of the ring.

Spectators screamed and started to run away in panic. Jackal fired off a green ball of fire towards the Steel Toe and Pain King banners on the rafters. After that, he created a small tornado between his hands.

"Okay, these are totally new." She walked towards the jackal through the harsh wind. "Prepare to be body slammered Jackal!"

"Uh, that's body slam.. Miss Possible." Flash then exploded in a flurry of speed and ran through the storm with ease, then unleashed a flurry of punches as he reached the Jackal. His concentration broken, Jackal's storm died down. It kicked instinctively and caught Ron dead in the chest. Which hurt Ron, a lot. He was blown back onto the ropes.

"Why don't you try it without the talisman Jackie?" Kim roared. This guy was a major pain in the ass. She charged in and jumped high to deliver a rotating drop kick to its face. It had almost no effect on the huge monstrosity.

"Why don't you try and make me little girl?" Jackal raised his hand and it glowed. So did Kim. She felt she was being levitated in the air. Then the Jackal smirked and brought his hand down, slamming Kim into the ground full force. Then he raised her again, this time throwing her all the way to the other side.

Ron forced himself off the ropes, let the world slow down and pushed himself towards Kim. He got to her with barely enough time before crushing into the wall, jumping and catching her in the air.

Together, they barreled down through the weak wall and into one of the service corridors. Shielding Kim, Ron had taken a major hit again, and he could feel his pain tolerance would soon be defeated.

"Are you okay?" Kim shook the man who had just saved her from a bad landing. He looked hurt. Then she watched as he sat up slowly, with Kim's help.

"We need to end this, and fast. He's getting stronge-WATCH OUT!" He pulled Kim away as a huge green fireball went through where they just came and exploded above them.

Kim whispered as they hid behind an intact wall. "We need to get the talisman away from him!"

Flash stood up. "I'll handle it. Just go to a safe place, I'll end this."

Kim got real angry. "Like hell you will, you are bleeding through your mouth! I'm helping, one way or the other!"

Ron noticed that he indeed was bleeding. _Punctured lung? Then I'd be drowning in my blood. Probably a teeth or my throat getting roughed. Kim won't let this one go. Well then._

"In that case, I'm sorry Miss Possible." He took her and went into superspeed.

"Hey wait a mi-" She suddenly found herself outside on the parking lot."-nute." She looked around and then shouted. "Son of a bitch!"

Ron got back after dropping Kim off. That was one major headache he would need to deal with in future. But for now...

The Jackal reached the stands and walked through the hole. Looking around, saw no one. Then suddenly something came at him from behind. He got blindsided and rolled on the ground.

Ron, after kicking Jackal in the back, in super speed mode, got back up and saw his chance. He exploded forward and ducked below a fireball Jackal just launched, jumped on him and grabbed the talisman.

Jackal didn't realize this and punched him full force, effectively letting Ron take the talisman. He realized his mistake too late. "Nooooo."

Jackal turned back to Jackie Oakes as Ron watched from where he landed. Kim then ran back in and saw what happened. She took on a full sprint and drop kicked Oakes, knocking him out brutally. "That's for hurting Ron!"

Then she turned to the battered Flash. He walked towards her and dropped the talisman in her hands. "You can... relay that to authorities. I'll go sleep.. this off."

Kim's anger against the guy died down. " You need a hospital, not looking good there pal."

"I'll be fine... Possible." And with a wind, he was gone again. Kim looked where he just was, then ran to where Ron had landed before this whole fight.

Ron himself made it back to his landing place, changing in super speed, and noticing many, many bruises and some bad injuries. He was going to feel all this tomorrow. He hid the suit in his bag, stashed it somewhere dark and then placed himself back into the rubble he had fallen in as 'Ron.'

A few seconds after, Kim took the corner and saw Ron through the rubble. At this point, Ron thought it was a good idea to rest his eyes for a moment.

* * *

He opened his eyes back a moment later. Only, it was not the dark service corridor, he seemed to be outside, resting on something warm and soft. The world slowly came back into focus.

"Ron! Ron!" Kim was panicking as he didn't wake up for a while and ambulances still had not come. Then she saw him blinking. "Ron! Oh thank god!"

"Kim?..." Ron realized his head was on Kim's lap as she was sitting down. "Rufus?"

Rufus peeked out of Kim's pocket on cargo pants. "He's here, don't worry."

"Did you get him, the Jackal?"

Kim looked pained. "Flash did. But it's over now. Don't move. Ambulance should be here any time."

Ron sat up with Kim's help. Already he could feel his bones mending. "I'm just a bit bruised and groggy Kim. I'll be fine."

_I'll be fine... Possible. _ Flash's pained voice echoed through Kim's mind. Then she lost it. "Why must all men be stupid idiots!? What part of ' you are hurt and need medical attention' you don't get?! I don't need you to be cool, I need you to be alive stupid-ass!"

Rufus jumped out of Kim's pocket and placed himself inside Ron's pocket, yet still looking worryingly between the two.

Ron could understand where some of that anger was coming from, and both reasons were directly related to him, so he took it down. "Woah KP, no need to blow out a fuse. I just meant that Pain King and Steel Toe took a bad beating, they could use the ambulances. I can walk, so just bring me to the hospital, they'll take an X-ray or something, you'll see that I'm fine, end of story. How's that sound?"

Kim, with her anger vented, sighed. "Okay. Okay...I'm sorry."

"No problem KP. It was a tough night, I get it."

"Do you? Why did you even stand up to a creature four times your size?!" And here she was gonna go off again.

Ron had to do damage control, and quick. "Look, he was going to smash those two into the ground, head on. Possibly breaking their necks. Someone had to do something. I was the only one willing." _ Cold hard logic. Even KP can't overcome that._

Kim stood silent as they heard ambulances approaching, along with some cop cars. She spoke again as they got into the parking lot. "And what if you had a broken neck? You thought about that? The guy who had the hax superpower barely walked away still alive, I got my ass handed to me... And you were thrown into walls by that maniac twice! You could've died!"

Ron got angry as Kim. "I'm not dead, far as I know, no one is dead, and you yourself directly engaged the monster, so I dunno what else I can tell you KP." He stood up, and as Kim moved to help, he pushed her hands away. "You go and handle the cops and whatnot. I'll go to hospital myself." He began to walk off, but then stopped and turned towards Kim.. "See you at school Kim."

* * *

Ron walked slowly towards his house, his body protesting against himself at each step. After a while, his watch beeped. Once, thank God, meaning this was only Wade wanting to speak. He turned the screen on.

"Yes Wade? You wanna shout too?" Wade didn't answer. "Look I know you were listening, either through my watch or her Kimmunicator. Just tell what's on your mind."

"Ron, she doesn't know you are.. .you know. And she got thrown around pretty bad, unable to do anything. You should cut her some slack."

"I did though. I tried to calm her down. She refused to be. Plus, she doesn't know I'm Flash, which means she didn't know all the hits I took as Flash was also on me. Yet still she coddled me."

"Ron, that's because she cares." Wade's voice was pleading with Ron, which angered him more.

"I'm not a helpless, bumbling sidekick! Even without using any powers, I can already do loads better than I was used to! I don't need to be coddled and protected!"

"It's my job to protect Kim, not the other way around!" With this he closed the screen and stormed off to his house in superspeed.

He stopped behind his house and then walked out front. Inside, his parents were watching the news.

_"..Reports from the EMTs and the eye witnesses indicate that Flash and Kim Possible took down the jackal-headed monster out. The entire incident, while yet to be revealed in detail, seems to have been the fault of Jackie Oakes, founder of Global Wrestling Association."_

His parents noticed him standing there, looking at the news. His mother immediately noticed a small bruise left near his cheek left from his meetings with the walls. "Ronald, are you okay?! News says Kim helped take down a monster at Arena? What happened?"

His father came and put his hands on his wife's shoulder. "Let the boy breathe. Ron, just tell me if you are okay."

Ron waved it off. "I'm okay Dad, this" pointing to his cheek, "is just a scratch. Besides, I didn't do anything, Kim and that Flash dude ended the whole thing. Now, can I go to bed, I'm really tired from the day."

With that, he left his family, went upstairs and fell into his bed without even changing. Sleep came instantaneously.

* * *

He woke up to chirping birds and his ringing phone. Looking over at his watch, still in his arm, he read the time.

_10:45 AM. Why didn't Mom wake me up... Oh right... It was Friday yesterday. _

He reached over to his phone and picked it up. "Ron Stoppable speaking."

The voice on the other end was familiar. Monique, his brain registered after a moment. "Uh, Ron? Got your number from one of your teammates, hope it's okay."

"Sure, no prob. What can I do for you?"

"Look, it might not be my place to butt in at all like this, seeing I'm new and all, but Kim sounded very bad when I talked to her in the morning. And since she growled when I asked about you... Anyway, would you meet me at Bueno Nacho, around noon?"

Ron looked around and thought. _Why not?_ If nothing else, he will be downing some Nacos.

Apparently, Monique was a good playa, since she had also convinced Kim to come to Bueno Nacho. What followed Ron as he sat down on the other side of the table, was pure , unadultered, full on angsty silence.

Monique felt real awkward between the two of them. They were both looking at the table.

Suddenly, at the same moment, both of them spoke.

"I'm sorry." "I'm sorry." Which was of course followed with...

"Jinx you owe me a soda!" "Jinx you owe me a soda!"

Ron felt his mouth about to go into round three, but stopped himself. _Better let Kim get this round. _

"Double jinx!" Kim looked upto see Ron smiling. "Look, Ron, I shouldn't have babied you, I'm sorry."

"And I shouldn't have walked off like that, you had a very bad night."

"Friends?"

"Always."

Monique started chuckling. "Well, if this is your team dynamic, I now see I was unnecessary from the start."

Ron reached out and held her arm as she stood. "Let's get chimmeritos and battle it out, you in?"

They sat back after getting the food.

"You know, I still can't believe you met Pain King and Steel Toe."

"I can't believe you are into wrestling."

Kim interjected. "I can't believe I know either one of you."

Monique waved her hand. "Enough talk." She picked her chimmerito. "In the immortal words of Pain King, _you're going down!_"

Ron picked up his own chimmerito. "Au contraire. _It is you who will be going down!_"

"First one to drip is a loser."

"Better get your bib baby."

"So on." Rufus ran in the middle and held a napkin up and looked at both at them. Then he brought it down.

Monique and Ron went at it crazy.

Kim seemed grossed, but happy. "I think this is the beginning of a very weird friendship."

* * *

"Niiice place KP, come for the humidity, stay for the leeches."

Kim gasped and then Ron saw... _it._

"A monkey temple."

Ron naturally went into a heroic BSOD. " M-m-m-mo-mmm-mon-monkey." Then the shaking began.

"Oh no." Kim rolled her eyes.

"Kim Possible I presume." An impeccably dressed man with huge sideburns stood in front of them. Near him was a stocky guy with a moustache that connected his sideburns. " I'm Lord Monty Fiske. This is my valet, Bates."

Kim motioned to Ron. "This is my friend Ron."

"Your friend seems rather... troubled."

"Umm, yea, well, see it all goes back to Ron's first summer at Camp Wannaweep. He had to bunk with the camp mascot, Bobo the Chimp."

_Scenes of darkness, of pain and terror, of unimaginable horror that was Bobo the Chimp began to play out in front of Ron's eyes, pulling him ever deeper into darkness and be- _Kim snapped her finger in front of Ron's face and snapped him out of his nightmare. "It was.. one... crazy monkey."

Fiske interjected. "You do know of course Chimpanzees are actually part of the ape family? They are not monkeys at all."

"Monkeys! The apes! They all hold stuff with their feet man, we're talking freaks of nature here!"

The look Fiske shot at Ron could've frozen over a volcano.

As they walked to the temple, and the British went up front, Ron spoke to Kim.

"Ron, could you get a grip?"

"Mark my words Kim. His lordship is 500 miles of bad road."

* * *

All the stuff he heard today didn't let Ron sleep. _Statues which give magic out like dispenser, temple full of traps and _frigging _Mystical Monkey Power! It's all wrongsick!_

"I'm telling you Kim, bad road. I feel it."

"The guy has a royal title."

"Which you can buy on the internet!"

Kim was very tired and very annoyed. "Go to sleep."

Ron shut up and closed his eyes. He opened them back up in a second, coz he had heard monkey sounds. Looking around in darkness, he saw a dark shape jumping on the trees. He whispered to Kim. "There's a monkey in camp! Live one!"

"You're obsessed. Sleep!"

Ron saw the shape again, getting closer. Then it saw walking into the tent of Fiske. "The monkey!"

When the shape came out though, light from the campfire illuminated it. Ron relaxed when he saw what it was. "Ah, it's just a hooded ninja."

Kim shot up. "He's got the statue!"

Kim stood up and confronted the ninja. The ninja took up an unknown fighting pose. Ron, meanwhile, struggled to get himself out of the sleeping bag.

Kim danced around the ninja, prodding his defenses. Finally, she caught the statue with a kick, sending it towards Ron. Ron had made it out of the bag, and caught the jade monkey statue.

Meanwhile, the ninja and Kim went at it. Kim's first offensive flurry was defeated, and she barely dodged a counter palm. After that, she got angry and attacked even harder, pressing the ninja to dance around her strikes.

The ninja, when he came near to it, knocked over a tent support and collapsed the tent on top of Kim.

Ron held the statue behind him. The ninja rushed him, and Ron avoided the first strike by going into slow motion time and seeing it coming. His following rotating kick, he barely got out the way without activating his speed itself.

Fortunately, Kim came around and held the ninja's shoulder. The ninja pulled a move where he pushed Kim's hand and entire body with just a shoulder push. After that, Ron tried to defend the statue while Kim attacked the ninja.

The ninja jumped over Ron and landed behind him and lunged for the statue. Seeing this coming with his speed, Ron dodged to side, unfortunately directly into the path of Kim. They collapsed on top of each other.

The ninja took the statue, pulled out a pellet and threw it on the ground. A black smoke covered the area, and then the next second, he was gone.

"Oh no, he's gone and the statue is gone with him."

The nobleman and his servant walked out of the tent. "What's all this then?"

Kim walked up and explained. "Someone stole the jade monkey."

Monty Fiske looked very surprised. "How shockingly awful!"

"Yes, awfully shocking milord."

"Word of our discovery must've gotten out. Oh rot! If only your bravery was not wasted."

This felt a little too perfect a response for Ron's tastes.

* * *

"Ron, you are late to our Bueno Nacho meeting again. What gives?"

"Got out of the house a bit late, sorry Kim." _ And foiled a mugging on my way, no big._

They sat down with their food. "Saturday is gonna be the night of the living Larry."

"You know this Larry, sounds like a majorly fun guy."

"Want me to send him to your house?" The Kimmunicator beeped then. "Go Wade."

"Kim, I dug up some info on that Jade Monkey."

Ron slumped and shut his eyes with his hands.

"The temple was one of the four built by the followers of Monkey Kung Fu. Each temple had a jade monkey."

"Back up. What is Monkey Kung Fu?"

At this point, Ron flinched. "Other than sick and wrong?"

"According to legend, when four Jade Monkeys were brought together, they gave the warriors, Mystical Monkey Power."

"But why seperate the monkeys?"

"Because Mystical Monkey Power is sick and wrong!" Ron was having a really hard time.

"Actually, the legend says the warriors didn't want anybody else to get the power."

"Maybe the thief believed the legend."

"The leading expert on all things simian is Lord Monty Fiske."

"We helped him, he'll help us. We'll go talk to him this weekend."

Ron sat with his arms crossed, with Rufus imitating him. "Oh that'll be a fun conversation. Monkey this, Monkey that. Monkey Monkey Monkey."

Kim slapped her own forehead. "Saturday... Just remembered my dinner with Larry."

"Can't you flake?"

"All flaking options are denied."

"Can I make a suggestion? Send me!" Ron, looking to his left, immediately felt a headache approaching. Double Kims.

"Think about it Kim." Wade spoke as Kim ran her hand through her own hologram. "My holographic simulator is ready for a field test."

"Really Larry, That's very interesting Larry. Niice costume Larry." Holo-Kim spoke like a rifle, all in a row.

"It rocks Wade, but I can't do the virtual flake. I promised to Dad. It is veeeery tempting though."

* * *

"So Wade, why am I here, in England, with Holo-Kim again?"

"Coz if something happens, you can at least live with your super-time evasion power. Besides, you are just gonna talk to the guy."

"And since he kinda already hates me..."

"We needed Kim's Holo, yes."

"Oh well, here goes nothing." Ron rang the bell.

Bates opened the door. Then his eyeballs grew. "Kim Possible?!"

"Nice to see you again Bates. We just had a couple of questions for Lord Fiske."

"I shall announce your presence." He let Ron and HoloKim inside.

Meanwhile, real Kim was suffering in a full on nerd-hell.

* * *

Ron walked near a few monkey themed artworks, which freaked him out to no measure.

They finally arrived Fiske's study. The noble greeted them standing. And Ron got a _very very bad feeling _ as soon as he saw the man's snide face.

"Kim Possible, and your monkey phobic friend. How delightful."

"Sorry to bother you Lord Fiske, but we wanted to ask you some questions about-" HoloKim got interrupted.

"So, you know all about it. About my obsession with Tai Shing Pek Kwar!"

And Ron watched in shock as the man revealed all his intents, his surgically modified hands and feet and the hidden basement full of monkey memoribilia.

In the center of it all, four jade monkeys stood aligned.

Monty Fiske jumped in the middle of them. And orange light covered the room, and Fiske started laughing uncontrollably. Then he spoke.

**"Bow to my power!" **He landed on the ground after that. **"I. AM. MONKEY. FIST!"**

Rufus, seeing this, said "buh-bye" and hid deep within Ron's pocket.

"So, now you know my secret. Which you will take to your graves."

Ron felt the uncontrollable urge to be a smart ass. "How can you be so sure, I mean a lot can happen in the next sixty to seventy years."

Monkey Fist didn't even let a warning cry as he lunged with all his might and speed. Ron went into super speed and barely dodged the madman's glowing hand. Flying near Ron, the man plowed straight through the air, and into HoloKim. He of course went through the matterless hologram and hit the wall behind them.

The entire wall exploded in a shower of power.

* * *

"Is that a real time stream?" Larry asked as he looked over Kim's shoulder.

"Yea, a knowing channel documentary. I'm sure you wouldn't be interested."

"Au contraire. Long have I followed the career of Lord Monty Fiske. A little known fact. He is a master of Tai Shing Pek Kwar."

"What?"

"Monkey Kung Fu."

"Monkey Kung Fu? Dammit, he was the ninja! Ron was right, he is bad road!"

She called Wade. "Wade, Monty Fiske stole that icon! I think he believes in that Mystical Monkey Power."

Wade was frantic though. "Kim, it's worse! He has the power and he calls himself Monkey Fist now!"

"How do you know this exactly?"

"Ron's in his house there, alone!"

Kim felt her heart skipping a few beats. "Why did he go there ALONE?!"

Wade scratched his head. "He didn't exactly.. You were with him. Sort of."

"The HoloKim?! Are you crazy Wade, Ron will get killed!"

* * *

Monkey Fist turned to Ron and slowly approached. "So monkey hater. Would you like me to kill you slowly or fast as possible? Because one way or the other, I'll be erasing you from the face of the planet. After that, I'll kill your family, and your precious little friend, Kim Possible."

He exploded with a surge, so fast that he seemed he was moving normally to Ron in slow motion time. Unable to fully evading this one, even with his speed, Ron took a glancing hit, which flung him across the room and into the stone wall.

He saw Fist coming again, so he dodged towards the exit and ran out of the cramped place, upstairs into the castle itself.

Suddenly, a HoloKim activated near him while he was trying to find a way out.

"Kim?!"

"HoloKim really, Wade's streaming me in real time. Ron you gotta get out of there, now!" She looked around and pointed to a window. "There's a window, run!"

As he tried to climb, a chandelier he held onto moved and revealed a secret passage upstairs. He couldn't pull a superspeed trick as long as Kim watched, but if he couldn't defeat this maniac...

When he reached the next floor, Monkey Fist dropped from the ceiling. "You can't leave now." Then he delivered a super-powered palm strike, right on his stomach and threw him back to the previous floor.

Kim was freaking out on the other side of the world. "I don't know what to do, and Ron's about to die! "

Larry thought for a minute. "Give it to me Kim, I have an idea."

Kim exploded. "This isn't one of your stupid Science-Fiction games Larry! Ron's facing a KungFu mutant with bio engineered hands and Mystical Monkey Powers and..."

She was out of ideas, and Ron wouldn't last long. She had no other choice, and a little science fiction was probably the only idea... "Here." She gave the Kimmunicator to Larry.

Ron dodged another strike as Monkey Fist came down upon him, destroying the place he was just on a few moments ago. Mystical Monkey Power was slowly giving Fist more speed and power, and very soon, Ron would be overtaken.

As he supersped away the corner and tried to put some distance, he saw a hologram slowly forming. He returned to normal time and asked when he saw the full form a guy with glasses and messy hair. "Who are you?"

"Kim's cousin Larry, but forget that! Remember level nine to fortress? To defeat the cloud guardian, you must drink from his enchanted well."

Ron understood what that meant. Since the statues were still aligned, he could go and take the power... Of the one thing he was scared of most.

As Fist saw him and charged again, the hologram disappeared. Ron exploded forward as fast as he could, clotheslining Fist who was charging through the air. Fist was sent back into the wall and the room behind that.

Ron didn't lose any time and super sped to the secret basement.

_I must become that which I fear most._

He jumped in the middle of the Jade Monkeys. "Hey Monkeys! Hit me!" Four beams of light then hit him and raising him in the air.

And suddenly, world was a much different place for Ron. He felt _power,_ not like the one now resided in his genes, but this one was engraving itself on his very _soul._ He could feel the power filling him up more and more, and suddenly, he also started to get thousands of images, reflexes and muscle memory ingrained in his head.

He felt as if the stars aligned above him and showered him with blue light.

And suddenly as it began, it ended. He slowly landed the ground as thousands of monkeys screamed from void. His eyes were still closed. What he didn't notice was that Rufus, in Ron's pocket, got the full experience just the same.

Monkey Fist charged into the room and saw what had happened. "NO! Mystical Monkey Power is reserved for me and me alone!"

Ron slowly opened his eyes to reveal an ice blue fire instead of his light brown irises. **"You said... you would kill them." **Ron's voice was echoing slightly, from a darker undertone.

**"Not while I still draw breath. Not while I... PROTECT!" **Suddenly, Ron was near Fist. The open palm strike he landed on Fist didn't seem to do anything for a second. Then the entire room exploded around them as power expanded from Ron's hand, and Fist was thrown through the window slightly above the room.

Ron jumped after him in super speed, provided by both his genetic mutation AND the magical power granted. Fist landed on a small stream near his castle, devastated by that one strike. Immediately, as he tried to get up, Ron was near, and he pulled Fist up.

**"You will not hurt anyone. Your corruption cannot be allowed to exist!" **

He charged his fist with blue power that was now beginning to leak from his entire body, then drove it into Fist's stomach. Since Ron was still holding him, he couldn't catapult back, and he took the full brunt of the attack. As he came down from the hit, he spat blood on Ron's shirt.

Ron hit him again, and again. On his final one he threw Fist in the air and kicked him towards his castle with a superpowered kick.

* * *

"Kim! I lost all contact with Ron! He went completely crazy, he is destroying the castle, the grounds around it, and he will kill Fist if he is not stopped!"

Kim was lost. Ron was about to die, but now he was losing himself in a magical power? This all felt like a bad dream, a horrible nightmare. "Wa-wade, please get me a link to Ron. HoloKim, whatever, please!"

As Ron slowly advanced on the crawling Monkey Fist, a HoloKim appeared near him. The sheer amount of magical power he was manifesting was interfering with it, but Wade managed to hold the connection stable. _ It's now in Kim's hands._

"Ron, please stop, Ron! You don't need to do this!"

What Kim saw through the screen of the Kimmunicator frightened her. Ron's blonde messy hair, flying all around, his brown eyes drowned in blue flames, and he himself was leaking blue flames all over.

"RON! WAKE UP! PLEASE! RON!"

Ron hesitated and stopped, as if he had just heard what was said. His eyes flickered between blue and brown. **"Ki-Kim?"**

"Yes Ron, it's me, Kim! I'm here, stay with me!"

**"He said he would hurt you. All of you. Families. Friends. That he'd kill you. He can't be allowed to live. He can't be allowed to harm."**

"But we are all okay. I am okay! You don't need to be a murderer Ron. You already defeated him. Please, please listen to me and stay with me." Kim realized she was crying now, for this Ron, maybe not the same, but was doing this for exactly why real Ron would've done.

**"Kim...Ki..." **The blue flames suddenly went out. Ron's eyes turned back to normal, and then he collapsed to his knees. "Kim?"

"Yes Ron?"

"I...I can feel it. The power. It urges me to protect what is dear to me. At any cost. Kim...It's _so strong_." Ron was visibly straining.

"Fight it Ron. Focus on my voice and fight it!" Ron was shaking and she could see his surroundings in the castle was also shaking. "Ron, remember when we first met? What did I tell you back then? Can you say it back to me, please?"

"You...you're ..weird... But I... like you." Ron's shaking subsided a bit. "Rufus."

The molerat peeked out from the corner he was hiding in, and then came near Ron. "Rufus, go destroy the statues... I can't hold this on for long, and Monkey Fist can't be allowed to use it. Go and destroy them bud, for me..." Rufus ran to the basement with lightning speed.

As Ron waited for Rufus to do his job, he heard a broken laughter...

"You...you... are nothing.." The fluids in Fist's lungs forced him to cough now. "You are nothing...but..a weak...boy... A nobody... Who can't understand the power he holds!" He coughed again. " The armies that would've bowed... The wars you could've won... The _women _ you could've bed..." He gave a throaty broken laugh this time. "... Instead you choose to be a nobody!"

At that instant, Rufus shattered the last Jade Monkey. Ron felt the presence that urged him evaporating. He took a deep breath. "And that's why you lost Fist."

He took Rufus, who ran back immediately, into his pocket, and walked away from the castle.

Kim, finally relieved, let the Kimmunicator drop from her hands and sat down on the floor. Larry stood near her and squeezed her hand, telling that Ron had "passed the test of justice" or something to that effect. Even though it was a horrible attempt at consoling Kim, it worked.

* * *

"Wade, he's not answering to my calls! At school, he avoided me, at class, he sat the farthest and when we got out, he was already gone! He's shutting himself out.."

Wade didn't know what to say. He was directly responsible for all this. He had not anticipated what a terrible power Monkey Fist held, not what it'd do if Ron had used it, not if Ron's super speed could stand upto it.

The records he took via his HoloBots suggested that Ron did in fact, use his powers in that fight. But Monkey Fist simply caught upto him. Forcing Ron's hand to try his hand at magic.

And then, that whole debacle. One thing was clear, whatever motivation Ron possessed, it had turned the Mystical Monkey Powers into a force of nature. And now, presumably unable to properly deal with the leftover emotions, or unable to face himself, Ron was shutting people out.

He had apparently left his watch at home. At night, Wade watched the Tri-City through traffic cams, and Flash was at an all time activity high. He was everywhere, preventing small time grocery robberies to car crashes, children being saved from in front of cars to kittens taken out of trees.

It was getting out of hand. He suspected if he got some sleep, if any. And by Wade's estimation, Ron had not spoken a single word in five days.

_And this is all my fault. __**Mine**__. Not Ron's, not Kim's... Mine, for they trusted in me to make the right call._

"Wade!" Kim then immediately felt sorry. This was a ten year old boy she was shouting at. And now she could see it. Wade was shaking with an emotion she could not quite place.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry Kim...All my fault..."

Kim realized that not one, but two members of her team was quite literally breaking down. Instead of whining about it, she had to act.

"Wade...Look at the camera, Wade. " She waited for the young genius to slowly raise his eyes. "Wade, maybe all of us have blame in this, but you can't take it all on to you. It was my call that drove you to make that decision."

"And that decision led to Ron...Ron..."

"I'll get Ron's head on straight. Look, just know that I'm not blaming you for this. You rock Wade, now and always. Don't forget that."

Wade's shaking seemed subsided, at least as far as she could tell from the camera. "Thanks Kim."

* * *

Ron felt that he needed to relieve himself after lunch, which he had ate atop the mountain near Upperton, so he went to school's restrooms.

While he was washing his hands, he made the mistake of looking into the mirror. Flaming blue eyes looked back. Suddenly, he punched the mirror and cracked the entire mirror.

He needed to keep busy, or he would...

_Busy, must keep busy._

* * *

Kim sat in the locker room, unchanged. She didn't think she could do cheerleading practice today.

Tara peeked inside when Kim didn't come out. She got worried when she saw Kim just sitting there, looking forward, as if she had a huge weight on her shoulders.

But this whole week had been weird. Ron Stoppable, who literally could not go on half an hour without cracking a joke or making fun of something, had been silent the entire week. He had avoided anyone and everyone, including Kim. _ Especially _Kim.

"Uh, Kim? Are you coming out? The team is waiting for you."

Kim turned to the door. "Ah, Tara. I'm sorry... Could you get Bonnie here please?"

Tara went back and fetched Bonnie from the gym. Bonnie had also noticed the super weirdness, so she had laid off on Kim, but she was now pissing her off, calling Bonnie to her feet like some servant.

"Look here Kim, we can't wait for your mojo to kick in all day. Now-"

Kim broke her train of thought by standing up and grabbing her bag. "I'm sorry Bonnie, I really am. But I don't think I can run training today... Could you lead the team today please?"

_She is not even looking at me. She is thinking something entirely else. _"We-well, if you are feeling bad... I suppose. Just don't make it a habit!"

Kim thanked her wordlessly by shaking her hand slightly, then walked off.

She had to find Ron, and she had to do it as soon as possible, before he self destructed somehow.

* * *

Ron was listening to the police scanner. He was also scanning the street from above, on top of the mall. He changed his position once every half hour, to get maximum coverage.

Suddenly, an image of Wade came to life near him. "Ron, listen to me." His words were wasted as Ron blasted off to some other rooftop. It took Wade half a minute to track him again.

"Ron, stop doing that! I'm sending Kim upto your position, you'll either change and speak to her, or I'll tell her everything. And I do mean, _everything._" Holo-Wade held his hands out to both sides. "Choice is yours."

Ron stood silent. Then, without saying anything, he changed into his everyday clothes and sat down.

"Stay there. I'm sending Kim in a few minutes."

Ron sat there for a while, alone. He dreaded the idea of speaking to Kim, after what happened in that castle. But his hand was now forced, he had no choice.

The sound of a hook catching onto the side of the roof got his attention. After a short retraction sound, Kim jumped up onto the roof. He didn't know to laugh or cry, she was in full mission gear, as if expecting a fight.

He turned to look back at Middleton. Kim didn't say anything as she sat down near him.

After a while, Kim broke the silence. "Sooner or later, you're gonna have to break the 'silent-monk' routine Ron. This is getting ridicilous."

She put her hand on Ron's shoulder. "I won't say that I know what you are going through... But this is you we are talking about Ron. I'm your best friend. If you don't talk to me, who will you talk to?"

Kim then leaned back and smirked. "Unless you think you can retreat to a mountain in Tibet and go full time with this monk business. You'd look so very fetching in one of those orange robes. And bald head."

Rufus peeked out of Ron's pocket and made a funny face at Kim at the mentioning of baldness. "See, even Rufus agrees it'd be funny."

Ron couldn't help himself and let loose a chuckle. "I'd look super badical with a white beard though." His voice was a bit coarse from disuse.

"And saying Zen stuff."

"I'd make it sound badical, and end with a Boo-yah."

Pretty soon, the image they constructed felt too funny and the pair fell into a fit of laughter. Ron felt the load on his shoulders getting a little bit lighter, if only for a few minutes. After they had their fun and laughter came to an end, Ron resolved to tell what he really felt.

"KP... You saw what happened, mostly, through Wade's connection. I will tell you what you could not see. What no one but I and Monkey Fist could see. " He turned to Kim and took a deep breath.

"That monkey power.. Whatever it was, it was not... Not some sort of magic armor or sword or whatever. Not something you... turn on and off. I felt my soul getting.. overwritten or something... It's ... I don't think I can explain it fully."

Kim squuezed Ron's shoulder for encouragement. "Just tell what you think, don't worry about me understanding."

Ron sighed. "When I was hit by the jade monkeys, it was as if something new was there, inside, but also, I felt like there always was something that I had not noticed till then."

"Kim, I was afraid, whatever I did, the guy was countering, and he was getting stronger. Then he threatened you, my family, my friends. And suddenly, the fear was not 'If I'm going to survive here?' It had now transformed into a "He will kill them all, and you can't do anything to stop it' kind of fear. That terror, it doesn't leave you once it's there.

"So, when Larry suggested what he did, and inadverdently sent me to the power of monkey magic, I only had one thing going through my mind... Protect, protect everyone. At _any cost_. No matter what. I was thinking that I'd be happy if I could end his threat, even if it cost me my life. However, after the monkey power hit me.."

Ron stopped, noticing his hands shaking. Kim's hand found his and held tightly. "Go on Ron, don't let it stay on your mind."

"After that, I had only one objective. Every single memory I had was screaming at me to end him. This urge... It was _primal. _ It was telling me to end him. _Permanently._ And Kim, this was no ancient monkey spirit or whatnot... Power just gave me the means. What woke up there, what was telling me that... was me!"

"I can't lie to myself about that. It was completely me. Fist, he couldn't do anything. His power was growing, but as soon as I got going... It was like my entire soul was screaming at him. My entire soul was urging me to protect, at any cost, _no matter what._ "

"So this is what happened Kim. When I look in the mirror, I see myself. Bathed in blue fire, no compassion, no mercy. Just a destructive force of nature. Just an urge. When I close my eyes and try to sleep, it's there. When I actually fall sleep, it's still there, and I wake up screaming."

"Kim, I am afraid of _myself. _ How am I supposed to move past this?" His story ended, Ron was spent. His hands fell forward, as is his head.

Kim thought long and hard as she sat with Ron. "By being yourself. I never saw you hesitate to leap into danger or uncertainty. Why start now? You resolved to protect people. And you were afraid. Fear does twist what you feel. Ron, do you think I'm never afraid?"

"I've seen you handle a shark in the sea."

"You also saw me completely messing up while speaking to Mankey, or when I got frustrated and Shego got the upper hand. Remember the first mission?"

"Laser grid. Hard to forget really."

"I was afraid as hell. Then you came along with me. You called it truth in advertising, but when you said "You can do anything", it was a push for me to move past the fear. So I'm going to tell you something similar."

"Ron, nothing can stop you. You are unstoppable. I always knew you could do amazing when you focused, but lately, it was even more apparent. Nothing can stop you if you stay true to your essential 'Ron-ness', not even your own fear."

Ron let loose a breath he didn't realize he was holding. He also felt tears which he couldn't shed since the castle, falling on his lap. He rapidly took a few deep breaths.

Kim rubbed his back as he relaxed slowly. "You okay now Ron-man?"

Ron looked at her and half-smiled through tears. "I think... I will be." Ron seemed to struggle with something else, but then he relaxed again. "Kim, there are some other stuff I will tell you...But not right now... When the time is right."

Kim pulled her knees to herself and then put her hands back to look above. "Whenever you are ready Ron." Then she saw Ron standing up and taking up a position towards the middle of the roof.

"There is one thing though. The power granted by Jade Monkeys... I don't think it's completely gone."

Kim stood up as well. "What? But the monkeys are gone?"

Ron shook his head. "I can't feel the overwhelming amounts of magical power coursing through me, but... look, just watch."

Ron seemed to get into a stance. Then he raised his hands and started going through moves. Moves that were very familiar to Kim.

_He is performing Monkey Kung Fu! _ Kim watched Ron as he ran through a few sets of moves.

Ron finally stopped and looked at Kim. "It's very... disorganized. I didn't realize it right away, but when I actually looked up Tai Shing Pek Kwar up, I started to realize I already knew the moves described."

"It comes back little by little as I go through these moves... It also helped me focus. Calms the mind. It's like I'm relearning something I knew very well, but forgot somehow."

Kim smiled and lightly punched Ron's arm. "So you got a free style out of the whole thing huh?

"Four, actually. All four sub-styles of Tai Shing Pek Kwar, I can recall them, if barely."

"Wow."

"You still have twelve more styles of Kung Fu over me, don't complain."

Kim grinned. "Well you know what this means."

Ron suddenly felt very bad. "N-no?"

"I can stop holding back in our training sessions."

Rufus patted his owner in the back as he collapsed in a heap of quivering mess.

* * *

Ron was slowly going back to his normalcy. He was still very quiet in school, but it looked like the worse was over, and he was reintegrating.

Monique and Kim watched him as he took his books from his locker and went to his class.

"So the boy got out of his funk?"

"Hope so. We had a good heart to heart, and he seems to do better.

Monique fanned herself with a book. "That scary stuff you do Kim, you gotta be careful girl."

"We manage, somehow. Thanks though Mon." The Kimmunicator beeped. Kim answered. "What's the sitch Wade?"

"Killigan stole a top secret project from a government weapons contractor. And it must be recovered before they sell it."

"I'll get Ron. Rides?"

"Already arranged."

* * *

Shego got fed up with the little haggling game Drakken and Killigan wanted to play, so she slammed the suitcase full of money in the middle. "Let's just get the Centurion Project and get outta here!"

Killigan seemed to be offended. "Oh you are a harsh one lassie." Killigan handed a small metallic bracelet to Drakken. Who then, of course, proceded to bite it to test what it was. Doctor Drakken, indeed.

"This trinket is the Centurion Project?"

"Aye, don't blame me for it's a wee thingie. Blame the scientists who built it."

"And guess what, I think those scientists want it back." Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable, had arrived.

"Kim Possible!" Drakken and Killigan chorused. Then Killigan turned to Drakken. "You know her?"

"Know her, hate her. Shego, attack!" Shego flipped over Drakken and jumped towards Kim. Upon her landing, Shego pressed the attack, but ultimately failed as Kim guarded herself and then countered with a rotating kick. Shego retreated by a few steps immediately.

Kim pressed the attack, forcing Shego to retreat more, but made a mistake and got her arm locked by Shego. Shego used the leverage and threw Kim over.

Ron, seeing no good chance to intervene, instead focused on the other two villains. Rufus pointed towards Killigan who was preparing to launch an exploding golf ball. Ron immediately went into slow motion and looked for a suitable object to throw. He fetched a plate from a table nearby and launched it.

"Freestyle!" was all Killigan heard as his golf ball was knocked off the tee by the plate. The golf ball went off near Killigan and Drakken, sending them to the ground. Ron raced towards their grumbling figures on the ground at normal speed while Kim kept fighting with Shego.

Killigan got up and swung his club towards approaching Ron. Ron avoided it by doing a half body dodge, leaning his body all the way back from head to waist, then immediately twisted himself with both palms extending towards Killigan. Ron's double palm caught the Scottish maniac in the middle and knocked all his breath out of him. The other golf balls he carried in his kilt fell down and began to beep dangerously.

Rufus had already jumped ahead and went towards Drakken at this point. He slinked inside Drakken's suit and came up near his chin, then snatched the Centurion bracelet out of Drakken's grip.

"Hairless rodent! Give it back to-" He had lunged for Rufus, but Ron spun around kicked Drakken towards the wall. Rufus threw the bracelet towards Kim, who caught it by getting it through her arm.

Killigan's rolling golf balls exploded one by one, destroying support beams and damaging the walls. The small shop started to shake violently.

"Nice work boys!" Shego grabbed Kim's arm and tried to take the bracelet back. At that moment, the bracelet shook slightly and then fixtured itself on Kim's arm, not moving an inch anymore. "Guess it's going with me. Bye!" Kim twisted Shego's extended arm, then jumped over her towards the door.

Ron snatched Rufus from the ground and did the same. They both ran out as the shop behind them collapsed. As they ran, Ron made the observation. "Is this stuff getting easier all the time, or is just me?"

* * *

Kim pulled the bracelet with all her strength, but the little band didn't budge. An inch. It was making Kim crazy. The Kimmunicator beeped.

"Wade, tell me you talked to somebody at the top secret lab."

"Sorry, they are all closed for weekend. You are stuck till Monday."

Kim sighed in exasparation. "Did you at least find out what this thing is?

"Kim, that's a 300 million dollar defense department project. The databases with the information is hacker proof, to the extreme."

"Oh man..." Her real phone rang. "Well thanks for trying Wade."

As Wade closed the connection, she picked up the phone. "Hello?"

Monique's voice boomed through the phone. "Kim, I have unbelievable news! I got the party greenlight!"

"That is ferociously cool! When?"

"Tonight!" Monique squealed. And that single word bummed Kim out.

"As in Halloween?"

"It'll be a costume party, everybody will be there." Kim threw herself on her bed while grunting.

"Everybody except me! Ron and I go trick or treating every year, and with all the stuff, I can't flake out of that!"

* * *

Ron slurped from his drink at Bueno Nacho before speaking. He, Kim and Monique was sitting outside at a table.

"Actually Kim, I was gonna talk to you about that. I'm calling it."

"Calling what?"

"The T&T action. We had a good run, but it's time to retire from the scene, leave room for younger generation to master the art of candy gathering."

Kim was now totally lost for words. "But..But you love Halloween!"

Ron nodded. "That I do, but I'm... not feeling like it, you know?"

Kim suspiciously looked at Ron, but finally relented. "If you say so." Then she cheered up. "In that case, you can come to the party at Monique's!"

"Ah... I think I'll just stay inside this year. Have a pie with Mom and Dad, maybe a scary movie, then early bedtime. I'm feeling a bit tired really."

"Ron..." She threw him a '_this better not be you isolating yourself' _look.

"Look, really, I'm just tired, I'll take tonight off, recharge and stuff."

Monique felt bad when Ron insisted. "Too bad... Lotsa people were gonna come, but a few asked you by name. One of them might have been named Tara~."

Ron finished up his food and stood up. "Sorry Monique.. Guess I'm just a bit under the weather today. You two have fun though! Take pictures!"

He ran away at a steady pace. Monique raised an eyebrow after a moment's thought.

"Didn't he used to have a scooter? He either walks or runs to almost everywhere these days."

Kim shrugged. "Ever since his selection as runningback, he has been doing that. Don't worry, Ron's like that when he really wants something."

"So what are you gonna wear?"

"A spanking princess costume."

* * *

Back at her house, Kim had her father take a look at the bracelet. After much deliberation and inspection of it, her father deemed it 'fascinating', and she was stuck with it till Monday. Twins' attitude didn't help either.

"Look what I found boys! It's Mister Cadaver. Med students practice on him. Lifelike latex."

Twins got excited and picked up the creepy latex doll. "You're the best Mom!"

Her mother turned to Kim. "The boys are helping with the Scare for Care Haunted House at the hospital."

"Wait, you two are not trick or treating this year?

"We're so over candy bagging." "We're ten." Kim was now so glad that Ron gave up T&Ting himself. Or this would've been one embarrasing year for her.

Her mom looked at her weird. "You aren't T&T'ing with Ron this year?"

Now this was bad. If she wasn't hang out with Ron, her parents would want her to come to Scare for Care. Which meant...

"Well...Yes we do Mom, he's just gonna come over after you guys leave, his schedule and all, you know him..." Unknown to Kim, the bracelet on her arm just grew and became a wristband as she lied.

Anne Possible tapped her chin. "You know, I've not seen him in a few weeks. He usually comes around all the time." She threw an inquisitive glance at her daughter. "Are you two getting along well? No problems?"

"Mom, me and Ron are tight. You know that. He's studying and had the whole deal with football team also. He's just a bit busy."

"Oh well, tell him to come over some time next week, boys were asking for him as well."

Phone rang and her father picked up. "Kimmie, it's for you."

She took it up in her room. "Guess whose garage band is playing at my party?"

"No way, I'll scream if you say Josh Mankey."

"Scream, girl!"

Unbeknownst to her, both Killigan and Drakken were trying to tap into Kim's calls so they could learn where she was gonna be that night.

"Well, thanks to Ron finally giving up on Trick-or-treating, I can come over tonight." This happened to be the part Duff Killigan picked up.

Kim's mom stuck her head from the below into Kim's room. "Did I hear you say Ron gave up on trick-or-treating? Then you can come with us to Scare for Care, how wonderful!" This part, Drakken picked up and concluded Kim was going to be with her parents. He stopped listening in after that.

Kim panicked, and as she did, the wristband grew to be a metallic glove. She didn't notice that either. "Uh no, Mom, I was telling Monique that Ron still have not given up on T&T'ing, so I'd have to hang out with him."

"Oh okay honey, I must have misheard."

Kim turned to the phone after her mom descended back downstairs. "Sorry about that Mon, that was my mom."

"Girl, you lied to your parents! So not like you!"

"I know, but the party and Josh and you know..."

"Oh don't sweat for me girl, I totally get you. I'll see ya tonight!" Monique closed the call.

Kim was not happy about all the lying she had to do, so she put her head on her right hand. Which was covered in a metallic glove at the moment. She panicked when she saw that, naturally. "Oh my gosh!"

* * *

"Wade, what is this thing?" She turned her hand and gave it a good inspection, along with Kimmunicator scans.

"Cutting edge nano technology. Way beyond anything I've ever heard of. The cybertronic circuitry is controlled by some biometric paramaters."

"Wade, I gotta get this thing off before I go to Monique's party!"

"You are not trick or treating with Ron this year?" Wade was surprised, as he had assumed Ron and Kim would be conducting their tradition when he have not heard from Ron.

"Nope. He decided to stay home. Said he was a bit tired." Her mother called out to Kim from downstairs.

"Kimmie, we are going!"

"Bye!"

"Have fun with Ronald!" Her dad called as they exited the house.

"Oh I will!" Suddenly, the glove expanded to cover her entire right arm. "Wade!"

"You just lied to your parents!"

"I know, they think I'm going with Ron, but I'm really going to Monique's party! I know it's all very bad, I already feel awful okay?"

"No Kim, I meant, that's what triggered it. When you lied, it grew."

"What?"

"It looks like some kind of armor. Nanotech, grows by itself. The biometric parameters must have to do with stress! In battle, when a soldier is in danger and stressed out, the armor would kick in."

"Wade, I wore this thing during a fight with Shego, Drakken and Killigan, and nothing happened."

"You must be more stressed while lying to your parents than fighting. Way to go, Pinocchio."

* * *

Ron's watch beeped. Once. He turned it on. "Wade my man." Then he saw what Wade was wearing. "Wait, you were gonna go out?!"

"No way, I do it all online. I just called to see what you were doing, and looks like you are in the suit. I thought you'd hang out with Kim."

"I'm not trick or treating anymore Wade."

"But there's a party at Monique's you could have gone to."

Ron sighed. "Look, half the kids in Tri-City is out T&T'ing, some adults are drinking heavily, teenagers and the like partying. Plus, I heard it becomes a crazy night in police districts and ERs on Halloween. If I'm not gonna go on patrol today, when will I?"

Wade shook his head. "And I think it's a bad idea to shake off a socializing opportunity for lonely patrol."

Ron looked out to the city. He was on top of Middleton Science Center. "Someone has to do that patrol."

"You do know there are people getting paid to do this?"

"Not my point."

Wade sighed. "However you want it, Mr. Superhero. I'll notify you if anything major comes up. Have fun speeding."

"You too Wade."

As he scanned the streets from above and listening to police scanner, he momentarily looked up. And saw a zeppelin shape in the dark night sky. _The hell? No zeppelins work in anywhere in Tri-City. Better check this out._

He tracked it across the sky and went after it as it moved.

* * *

Monique's doorbell rang. She saw Kim standing in a lovely long pink princess gown when she opened the door.

She ushered Kim in. "Kim, you are just in time." She pointed towards the makeshift stage where Josh and his band were setting up equipment. Josh himself was in a tacky but cool looking pirate costume. Kim walked over and spoke.

"Avast ye scurvy knave!" Yes, well, nobody said she made much sense while speaking.

"What?"

Kim got flustered. "That was pirate talk. Coz you know, you're a...a pirate...and I'm a total dork?" She chuckled nervously after this painful display.

Josh chuckled as well. "No no, I got it. I'm just playing ya."

"Good one." Another nervous chuckle.

Josh looked around. "Ron not around?"

"No, he stayed home. Not feeling well."

Josh shrugged. "Too bad. He'd be majorly fun at this party." Then he took notice of Kim's metal gloved right hand. "What are you supposed to be anyway?"

"Uh, the princess...in metal."

"Right on. I heard your folks are doing the Scare for Care Haunted House." He leaned onto the mic stand.

"You know about that?" The mic stand, normally, went down as Josh leaned on it.

"Yea, I stop every year, good cause good time, you know, yea.." Apparently, Josh himself was also nervous.

"Totally." Kim nervously smiled at him.

"Yea, probably drop by after our set. Wanna go?"

"Yes! But I can't. I told them I uh..." Kim hesitated.

"Told them what?"

"Doesn't matter." As she got overly stressed, the armor grew again, this time covering her left arm. Josh was impressed by the show. Kim again tried to recover. "State of the art costume huh? Be right back!" She ran to Monique.

"Must hide. Bathroom?" Monique pointed towards the bathroom.

* * *

Shego huffed. "We have seen every Possible except Kim!"

Drakken exclaimed, sure of himself. "This calls for the direct approach." He walked out behind the haunted house and confronted Doctors Possible at the door. "Ha!"

Anne Possible gasped. "Doctor Drakken!" Shego jumped in after Drakken.

"Where is Kim Possible?!"

James Possible was angry. "I suggest you two take your evil elsewhere."

"Honey, we've got to warn Kim. She's out there with Ron and has no idea that trouble is brewing!" Anne Possible spoke to her husband.

Drakken laughed. "Hah! You don't even know where your daughter is then! Coz I know for certain, she is most definitely not with the buffoon."

Anne and James Possible looked at each other. "She lied?!"

"Kimberly Anne Possible, wherever you are, you are in BIG trouble!"

* * *

Kim looked herself on the mirror. "Those lies were tiny. Teeny tiny. Get it together Kim."

Someone knocked on the door. "Kim, are you okay?" Monique called out.

Kim opened the door and answered. "There is absolutely nothing wrong." As soon as she uttered the words, the armor on her arms expanded and ripped through her costume. It was soon followed by the armor's expansion to legs and her entire body, and in the process, ripped the entire princess costume apart. As a finishing touch, double cannons appeared at her shoulders and a headguard grew around her head, leaving only her face unarmored.

"Good thing it's Halloween, coz that look is scary!" Monique exclaimed.

"This is bad! I've gotta talk to Wade!"

"Where's your Kimmunicator?"

Kim patted herself. "Somewhere under all this!"

Josh couldn't help but ask. "So, uh, what are you again?"

Kim looked frustrated." A stinking liar trapped in high-tech battle armor."

"See I wouldn't have guessed that." Kimmunicator beeped from under the armor.

Monique walked over and dialed Wade's number. "Wade, Kim's gotta talk to you immediately."

"Hi Wade, small problem with the Centurion Project."

"Yea well, there's a bigger problem right now at the Haunted House! It's on the news!"

At that moment, Monique's front door exploded into splinters. Duff Killigan's voice rang through the smoke. "Alright Lassie, hand over the Centurion Project!"

He walked in, kilt and golf clubs and all. Then he saw Kim. "Dear Lord, what happened to ya lassie?"

Behind Killigan, a voice answered. "Something infinitely better than what's gonna happen to you."

Killigan was suddenly pulled backwards to the street in the front. Kim with her battle armor and many guests ran after him.

Killligan rolled on the asphalt and came to a stop. When he raised himself, he saw a masked man with a dark red suit standing in front of him.

"Starting trouble in my city on Halloween? You Scots really are crazy."

Monique gasped, along with many other party goers. "It's the Flash!"

Flash turned towards them and waved. "Sorry to sour the party folks, Duffy here apparently decided that Trick in trick-or-treating meant blowing up doors."

Killigan finally stood up. "Who the hell are ya suppos' to be?"

"Your ride to jail." Flash exploded forward and started circling Killigan, who was overwhelmed instantly. Seconds later, all his golf balls and clubs were lying in a pile far from him. "You gotta work on your drive in jail Duff, that last swing was so horrible I think I puked." He picked up Killigan and bound his arms with Duff's own sash.

"Flash!" Kim ran to the masked man. He turned towards Kim and apparently was surprised when he saw what she was wearing. He heaved Killigan on his shoulder.

"Well, Possible, battle armor is most definitely your type of Halloween costume."

Wade's voice rang through the phone Monique was still holding. "Kim, to the haunted house, and tell that speedster do go there as well. Now!"

Kim, after hearing that, turned to Flash. "That was my mission control. Apparently there is something bad going on at Haunted House-"

Flash interjected. "Your parents." Then he turned and exploded away into the distance. Kim didn't lose a beat and suddenly rockets activated behind her. She flew away.

Josh picked up one of the golf clubs. "Well, this party certainly tops any other in town Monique."

* * *

A news helicopter was filming as Drakken was explaining who he was and what he wanted. He was demanding Kim Possible to come at once and hand him the Centurion Project.

Suddenly, another voice spoke and they heard a loud thud. "Step away from the happy Halloweeners and surrender now." Drakken and Shego turned towards the voice to see Flash standing with a bound and gagged Killigan laying near his feet.

"That's my line!" Kim descended from the sky and landed near Flash.

Shego fired a plasma blast at Kim. She didn't even bat an eyelash as her hand stuck out and caught the blast, which did no damage at all.

Flash whistled. "Woah, that's one sweet battle armor."

Kim nodded. "Indeed. And I can tell you, it's controlled by my thoughts and emotions, and I'm feeling pretty angry." She said these while looking at Shego.

Shego rolled her eyes. "So count to ten or something. Or get your new boyfriend here to give you a super speeded backrub."

Flash laughed and sat on a nearby bench. "You know, I'll take breather while you are trashing Miss Mint Green over there."

Shego got annoyed and charged at Kim with her hands full of plasma. The cannons on Kim's shoulder started to rapid fire. Shego zigzagged and avoided a lot, and deflected some with her hands. As she jumped on Kim, Centurion's rockets re-activated and propelled Kim to catch Shego in the air. They went through the air, and then crashed into the Haunted House.

Drakken turned and looked at the man in the red suit. "So you are a new addition? What do you do exactly? And what happened to the buffoon if you are the new sidekick."

"My good doctor. You don't watch much news, do you? For starters, I'm no sidekick. I'm Tri-City's new resident superhero." Flash seemed to be fiddling with a watch on his arm. "As for what I can do..." He threw a look to Drakken. "Why don't I show you?

Without warning, he exploded into a lightning ball and reached Drakken. A moment later, Drakken was sailing through air to crash into the Haunted House wall while Flash was sitting at the bench like he never moved.

Tim and Jim quickly rushed towards him. "Mister Flash, could you please sign our own personal Flash t-shirts? They are home, we can get them now!"

"They are making Flash t-shirts? Man, I should've trademarked the name and cashed in loyalty checks."

James Possible came around and pulled the boys back. "Jim, Tim, let's leave the nice superhero alone. Plus, your sister is fighting with that green lady, let's watch that." As the males of Possible clan turned over and walked a bit away to see what was happening with the fight, Anne Possible came near and shook his hand.

"The way Kim tells it, you saved her life from that horrible Jackal. And you are also doing a lot of good all around in the city. I just wanted to thank you for watching out for all of us."

Ron blushed under the mask and got flustered. He was not used to heavy praise, and that was firmly in that category. "Uh, ah, thanks...You know, great power, great responsibility... It's really no matter Mrs. Dr. P... uh... Mrs. Possible." He then shut upwards and quickly walked towards the ongoing fight. "Better check the fight, you know, battle armors are fickle things and all..." He got away mumbling.

Anne Possible smiled. "What a nice young man."

* * *

"So that's the whole story, Mom, Dad." As she confessed the whole thing, the Centurion armor shrank and returned to its original bracelet form. Shego, Drakken and Killigan were being carried off by cops.

"Soo.. obviously mistakes were made.. By me."

Her mom looked to Kim with a stern look. "Kimmie, you know how important honesty is to us."

Her father added while pointing to the people at Haunted House. "And this isn't just about us. Innocent people could have been hurt with those villains carrying out here tonight. In fact, this young man," as he was pointing to Flash, "cleaned up after your mess, the way I see it."

"I will never lie again, I promise."

"And it was such a stupid thing to lie about. Mom and Dad would definitely let you go to Monique's party, you didn't need to use Ron as a lie." Jim and Tim was also adding their two cents.

"Ah... Even the tweebs are busting me?!"

"You know what we are gonna have to do now Kimmie." Her mother stated with a somber tone.

"I sense the word 'grounded' coming my way?"

"Do you also sense the words 'one month' and 'starting right now'?" Her father added.

"A whole month?!"

"Also, thank the nice man who helped you."

Kim turned to thank Flash. "Thank... Well, that was anti climactic." She stated when she saw Flash was already gone.

* * *

"So that's the whole story of yesterday Ron." Kim and Ron were in Kim's room, with books sprawled on the ground, studying.

Ron raised his head from a book. "Well, you had some of that coming, you know that right?"

"I know I know, please you don't bust my chops about it as well. Sitch is bad enough as it is."

Ron shrugged. Then looked very thoughtful. "You know, there is one single point I don't get about this whole story?"

"What's that?"

"So, if your princess costume was totally ripped as the armor grew under, and you had changed into it before it covered your torso... How exactly the Kimmunicator was stuck _under _ the armor when it covered your whole body?"

Kim blushed profusely. "You really don't wanna know."

* * *

_**To be Continued in : " Escalation"**_


	4. Escalation

** UnStoppable Flash **

**Disclaimer: Kim Possible trademark and all characters belong to Disney.**

**DC Comics and all characters belong to Warner Bros.**

**Chapter 4: Escalation**

Shego stewed in her cell, angered and humiliated...Yet again. She had been defeated by Kim Possible, foiled. And every single encounter, it was getting worse. For all accounts, her superpower should've been more than enough to handle one over-active control freak of a cheerleader.

But it didn't. Shego didn't hold any hallucinations about who she was. World was filled with maniacs, sociopaths and dangerous criminals all around. She was not one of them. She was a punch-clock mercenary, under contract. Her contracter, a man no more evil than a schoolyard bully. So this situation shouldn't have mattered much to her.

But it did. Her bumbling sidekick was getting more capable with each encounter, now properly watching the back of the cheerleader. Their gadgetry was getting more sophisticated, courtesy of that geek of theirs. And now, they even had a home field advantage that went by the name of Flash.

Shego had met some tough criminals and a few heroes during her time as a superhero. Team Go was nowhere near competent, powerful or capable enough to measure upto them. And this Flash character showed all the potential signs of one such hero. He almost made Shego remember-

The door of her isolation cell opening cut through her thoughts. She was sitting alone on the uncomfortable bed, and didn't bother to turn towards the door. Someone walked in.

"Been some time Shego, hasn't it?"

Shego got startled and jumped up in the bed. "You!"

In the darkness of the cell, the person leaned in. "Yes, I. Or did you think I would be done with you after you, uh, went 'evil'?" Said person laughed at this expression. "We both know you are nothing more than an angsty teen you always were, my dear."

"I've nothing to say to you! Nothing! Go away!"

"For now, yes. You are still blind. But that cheerleader you've been dancing with, she'll open your eyes, sooner or later. When that happens, you will give me a call." A card fell on Shego's lap. "Sooner or later, my dear."

Then the person left. As the door closed back on her, Shego kept shivering and shaking in the dark, until Drakken busted her out of her cell next day, and they ran away to one of his backup lairs.

* * *

The doorbell rang on the Possible residence in the morning. James Possible set down his morning newspaper and opened the door. He was presented with a yawning Ron, who looked like he still had bed hair. Ron smiled when he saw the rocket scientist.

"Good morning, Mr. Dr .P., is Kim ready for school?"

James was pleased to see the young man, who had not come around to their house in almost a month. "Good morning Ronald, I think she'll be ready in a few minutes. Come on, wait inside, Anne will get you a pancake."

Inside, Jim and Tim were already upto their usual antics, trying to trick out a toy rocket. When they saw Ron however, they ran and hugged him. The twins started to ran their mouth in jet speed, asking him what he was doing, if he had seen Flash at GWA, how Steel Toe and Pain King was in person. Ron lost track after a while, trying to answer it all just as fast.

Their father cut into the almost one-sided conversation and chided them. "Jim,Tim, let Ron alone and come eat your pancakes."

At the kitchen, Anne Possible welcomed Ron warmly and set him down with a plate of pancakes, even though he protested he'd be fine with just one. The small TV in the kitchen was open and the morning news were on.

_"...And now with the local news. Early in the morning, an apartment complex in Lowerton caught fire from undetermined causes. The old complex was slated to be demolished for the City Council's Urban Renewal project, but still had a few families living inside as of this morning. Within minutes of the fire spreading through the building, firefighters arrived at the scene to control the fire, but were unable to get out the families. The resident Tri-City superhero Flash made an appearance, seemingly running around the building at high speeds to push the flames upwards. Afterwards, he was seen running inside and getting every resident of the complex, one person at a time. A total of fifteen residents were saved, and the fire was controlled by the fire brigade thanks to Flash's help. We'd like to thank Flash as well, for not allowing our morning to be marked with a tragedy. And now, we go to sports news..."_

Kim ran down, fully dressed and with her backpack. She scooped up a pancake from Ron's plate and took his arm, dragging him towards the door. Ron stuffed the one he was eating into his mouth.

Anne Possible went after them to bid them both a nice day at school, but stopped when she heard her daughter speaking.

"Ron, why do you smell a bit like burnt bread?"

Ron swallowed the last of the pancake. "Major toaster malfunction at home." Ron exclaimed as the teens left the house.

Anne Possible smiled and went back into the kitchen, humming a merry tune under her breath.

* * *

When Kim opened her locker, she was presented with the small computer in there already printing something. Ron popped from behind her and scooped up the printed papers.

"Don't touch that! No offense KP, but that's very sensitive material."

"Really?" Kim was understandbly skeptical.

Rufus came up on Ron's shoulder and squinted at the top of the stack. "It's a story I'm writing for the school paper. Hard-hitting stuff!"

"You're not on the paper Ron. They keep turning you down. No offense."

Ron tapped the stack of papers. "This is gonna turn them around. It's an edgy expose I call 'Math: You'll Never Actually Use It in The Real World.'"

Kim closed her locker. "Riii~ght." As they walked to their class, she felt compelled to ask. "Why do you even still try anyway, aren't you a 'jock' now?" Kim teased.

Ron's face fell. "Well, since the season ended a bit early, Barkin has all the players doing other extra curriculars. I'm just trying to avoid the worst of it Kim."

"How bad can it be?"

Ron stopped and closed his eyes. "I've seen Brick with knitting needles on his hands." Kim couldn't help herself and joined in Ron's shivering at the idea.

* * *

_"Tonight, one extreme teen will go into the woods alone! No food, no water, no human contact! Handcuffed to a bear!"_

Kim smirked. "At least the bear won't go hungry."

_"And now, Adrena Lynn answers the question whole country is asking."_

"What will she do next?!" Ron and the twins chorused.

"I thought you came over to interview me?"

Ron sighed and stood up. "Yea, might as well get that over with. Gotta go home early."

Kim turned the TV off, and the twins ran off to try to sneak into the zoo.

"Alright, let's get this 'hard-hitting interview' over with." Kim sat down near Ron as he set up a recorder.

"So... What's it like to be you?"

* * *

_"I'm not so different from anyone else. Except that I have an arch foe or two." _Kim's voice sounded out from Ron's recorder. Rufus shrugged his shoulders.

"Not really heavy stuff Kim." Ron kept trying to find a quote-worthy part.

_"Sure I'm busy. But what teenage girl isn't?"_

"Bo~ooring, where's the angle?!" Ron fast-forwarded the tape again.

_"We had an awesome team this year. I'm sure we will do much better next year. Ron was Unstoppable as his nickname, and Brick Flagg was totally hot in the final games-"_

Ron's head shut up as he rewinded and played the 'Brick Flagg was totally hot' part over and over again. He then saluted towards the air and grinned.

"Houston, the angle has landed." Rufus tried to stop him as he started to write in super speed, but Ron pushed his naked mole rat away.

* * *

Bonnie approached Kim as the head cheerleader closed her locker. "Kim, I think it is so great what you did!"

Kim got suspicious, as Bonnie was _never_ this happy without a reason. "Which was?" She replied with arms on her hips.

Bonnie kept smiling. "I mean, to risk utter embarrasment _ and _ total rejection like that?" She passed Kim the school paper she was holding.

Kim read the headline out loud. "Cheer Leader Kim Possible think quarterback Brick Flagg is H.O.T. hot by... Ron Stoppable?!"

* * *

"Ron, you ferociously misquoted me!" She leaned down on Ron with fists squeezed. Ron tried to calm her down.

"Woah, I _ may have _ done a tiny bit of rephrasing, but come on, you'd think a crime fighting cheerleader would give a more interesting interview. The paper liked my story so much they're giving me my own column!"

"Thanks to you, I'm now stuck on a date with him on Friday night!" Kim was fuming.

"Nice, then I can cover the big date with Brickster for the paper! What time shall I be ready?"

At this point, Amelia and Bonnie ran upto Ron and they held one arm each. "Ron! You're sitting with us." Bonnie exclaimed.

Amelia put her hands on Ron's shoulders. "I'm having a little get together tonight. No biggie, just fifty of my closest friends. You have to do a write up for the paper."

"I do?" Ron was completely blindsided, as he had not seen any write ups on school paper about any parties, like ever.

Bonnie waved her hand dismissively. "How else the social outcasts know what they missed?"

Ron, ever so naive, answered. "You could invite them to-" Bonnie and Amelia broke into laughter.

"You are so funny! C'mon, Tara also would like to hear your jokes."

Ron looked at Kim with total surprise as he was carried away.

* * *

"On target Kim, I'm tracking the blimp to just around the corner." Wade reported from the Kimmunicator. The teen duo was in New York, tracking down the stolen blimp of Pop Pop Porter's.

_"What... What.." _ A voice spoke over some loudspeakers as Kim and Ron took the corner. "I know that voice." Kim thought out loud as Ron looked around upwards and spotted the blimp.

"Adrena Lynn!" He took out a camera from his backpack. "What a story! Adrena Lynn may have stolen that, but this stunt's gonna be totally awesome!"

Kim watched as Adrena Lynn exclaimed her intent to bungee jump blindfolded, from the blimp. Then the teen action idol did exactly that, but the cord broke as it straightened out. People screamed, and Ron contemplated blowing his cover for a second, but it was unnecessary as Kim activated her jetpack and soared towards Adrena Lynn.

A few seconds later, the voiceover from loudspeakers boomed again. _"She's okay!" _ Ron started photographing Adrena Lynn who was standing in front of a giant screen. "She made it! Rufus my friend, guess who got a front page photo."

Then Ron noticed Kim in the background holding a mannequin dressed as Adrena Lynn. "Oh no. It can't be. It was just a dummy. She didn't even fall!" He photographed both the real Adrena Lynn and mannequin on Kim's arms a few more times.

* * *

_"In our top story, Ron Stoppable of the Middleton High Newspaper reports: That Extreme Teen Adrena Lynn is an extreme fake!"_

Ron came up running towards Kim. "I'm in the paper too! I'm national baby!" He was holding a copy of 'The Examiner' in his hands, pointing to a headline. Kim took and started reading out loud.

"Ace reporter Ron Stoppable, heralded for breaking the story of TV fake. Adrena Lynn's ratings plummet faster than her fake fall." She pushed the paper back onto Ron. "Can this get any more annoying?"

The Kimmunicator beeped and Kim answered. Wade's single sentence of "It's your brothers." sent her running off.

* * *

Ron felt bad... Slightly. Sure, he had smudged the facts with Kim and her comment on Brick, but the exposé on Adrena Lynn was completely true. And he thought it was a good thing as no more kids would try to imitate her like Possible twins did, and get hurt in the process.

Still, it was not cool that his watch had gone offline, like all the TVs. He was now patrolling without Wade's backup, and even the police scanner frequencies were jammed. Suddenly, the watch came back online, but instead of Wade, he watched Adrena Lynn's broadcast of kidnapping Brick.

_"Tonight, Ron Stoppable and Kim Possible versus Me in extreme combat! And to raise the stakes, I have Kim's 'boyfriend'!"_

He sighed. Figures that he had to be the cause of this blunder. He watched on until he saw a broken down fun house in the background. He didn't need Wade for finding out where that was, it was the old haunted Middleton fairgrounds.

_Well, better handle this before it gets out of hand. _ He broke into a super-speed run into the woods and towards the old fairgrounds.

* * *

Kim exploded with anger at the 'boyfriend remark. "He, is not, my boyfriend!" Her entire family looked funny. She sighed and took her bag. "Don't worry, I'm going."

Her mother called to her from the house when she had taken three steps out of the house. "Kimmie, come back here honey!"

Kim walked back into the house and looked at her mother with obvious question. Anne Possible pointed towards the TV. "I don't think you need to go."

Possibles watched, like most of the world, as Flash was standing under a spotlight. Adrena Lynn's voice boomed through a loudspeaker.

"High school quarterback Brick Flagg takes the ride of his life. And only one person can save him, his beloved girlfriend Kim Possible!" She was standing near a lever, with Brick tied up in a busted old rollercoaster car.

Flash cleared his throat. Adrena Lynn looked down and saw him. "You are not Kim Possible."

Flash walked casually towards the roller coaster. "I hope not, I can't pull off a cheer leader costume like Miss Possible does." He looked at the roller coaster and saw a break in the rails, but it was far from Brick's current position. "Okay, why don't you jump down with a mannequin or something, I catch it, and we end this quick? I got snack food waiting for me back home."

"Who the hell are you supposed to be, the Red Ranger? We will wait here till Kim Possible gets here!"

Flash looked above towards Adrena Lynn. Cameras were broadcasting the entire thing. "You don't really watch much TV, do you?"

Lynn waved her hand. "Only show worth watching is mine."

"So let me get this straight. You came here to my town, kidnapped someone to get Kim Possible here, and broadcasting this worldwide? And you have totally no idea on who I am?" Flash did a little dance as people watched. "Oh man, this is gonna be good." He started walking towards the roller coaster again.

"Don't come closer whoever you are! I'll release the lever and then the quarterback will be history."

"Please do that, so when police comes, they'll have a better reason to arrest your ass. In fact, I'll even turn my back and uh... _Run _ if you do that."

"You think you are funny?! I'll show you all what it is to be FREAKY!" Adrena Lynn released the lever and Brick's car started moving.

Flash nodded and spoke. "As promised, I'll now ... _run._" As he uttered the last word, he blurred into a red streak and ran up the rails, immediately reaching Lynn's position. Who was now shellshocked from the show of speed.

Flash extended his hand and raised Lynn's chin. "You see, I said I would run. I never specified _ where_ I would." He lightly tapped Lynn's right cheek. "Wait here a moment, be back in a Flash!"

He blurred again, reaching Brick's still ascending car in no time, and took a seat near the quarterback. "How are ya doing mister? Enjoying the ride?" Brick was apparently also shocked, as he couldn't speak. "Oh well, Parks and Recreation decided that this ride is a public safety hazard, so we'll have to get you out of here. Hang tight." He grabbed Brick and heaved him on his shoulder, and grunted as he was doing that. "Wow, you really are packing my man."

A few seconds later, he was setting down Brick and untying him near the carousel. "There ya go, all safe and...no sound." He joked as Brick was still in shock. He turned towards Lynn. "Now, where were we? Ah yes. 'Extreme Teen' versus the Speedster."

Adrena Lynn suddenly became aware of how completely eclipsed she was. This was a superhero, and she certainly was not a supervillain. She turned away from Flash and started climbing down the rails as fast as she can.

Flash leant on the center column of the carousel, near where Brick was now standing. He gestured towards the extreme fake who was now trying to run away. "You'd think she would figure out running away from me is stupid as hell." He threw both his hands in the air. "Ah well, no one claimed she was intelligent anyway." He supersped to Lynn and grabbed her. Then turned towards the cameras. "Let's see... _ What will I do next!?"_ He mocked the announcer.

A few seconds later, they were on the top of the defunct Ferris Wheel. Flash was holding the young woman from under her arms. "So, enjoying the 'extreme' speeds? Good enough for you?"

Lynn scoffed. " Uh, I do extreme stunts for a living, you think I'm afraid of heights?"

Flash grinned. "Lady, you _ faked_ extreme stunts. I think the world should see how you react when some real danger is involved." He supersped again, and as the world watched, the red streak ran around and under the rollercoaster, the Ferris Wheel, rotated in super speeds at the inside of the carousel. Finally, he came to a stop on the previous spot atop the Wheel.

Lynn was breathing heavily. "Do...do your worst!"

Flash smiled again. "My hands are getting tired, just so you know...But, you asked, and I deliver." He started the same routine, only this time, he jumped from the rails of the rollercoaster and landed on the wheel. Lynn was screaming as they came to a stop.

"Not so extreme after all, are you?" Flash smiled towards the cameras and waved.

Lynn screamed her answer. "NO! No, I'm not! Please get me down now, please!"

At Possible residence, the twins were annoyed. "Now she tells us."

* * *

Kim and Ron arrived the scene after watching the broadcast, having taken a ride with Ron's old scooter. Flash, of course, was long gone. Police hauled Adrena Lynn and her cameraman away.

"Listen, I'm sorry you almost plunged to your death on worldwide television." Kim apologized.

Brick raised his hand and stopped her. "Kim, stop. I get it now."

Kim raised her eyebrows. " You do?"

"Sure. You had Stoppable expose Adrena Lynn so she'd freak out and set up this whole ' save Brick' thing, just to prove you dug me." Ron started snickering behind his best friend. "Kim, you are nice and all but you try to hard. If you'd just asked me out, that's cool. But this is just too much. I'm sorry, but this is over." Brick nodded ruefully and walked away.

Kim was both relieved and angered. Ron stopped snickering and exclaimed loudly. "I can't believe it! Brick dumped you!"

Kim was shocked as well. "I know!"

Ron immediately went into reporter mode. "Headline! Quarterback sacks Kim Possible! She has a dislocated heart and will be out for the remainder of the season!" Rufus reached up and shut Ron's mouth.

Kim smiled at the naked mole rat. "Thank you." Rufus simply chittered happily in response.

* * *

At late night, two people were walking near a warehouse. One of them was speaking on the cellphone.

"How's that phone hack coming along?" A distorted voice whispered somewhere above the walking men.

_"Hacking into a twice encrypted sat-phone is a bit complicated. But if you want to come and do it..."_

The distorted voice sighed. "I get it, just do it please."

A few seconds later, his earpiece was filled with the voices of the men below.

_"...Project has entered the final phase. It's time to collect." _A woman's crisp voice stated.

_"The road test was impressive then?" _This was the man who were currently walking under the distorted voice.

_"Doubly so. Since this is a direct intervention of a DoD asset, we will need full deniability in the operation. You know what to do._

_"What about the Global Justice oversight on the area?"_

_"Let me worry about that. Besides, I hold jurisdiction on U.S. soil. GJ network is in the dark when it comes to us."_

_"Do you want me to get Lawton for this?"_

A short silence followed. The woman at the other end answered. _"Get the full squad. I need this done yesterday. You will go wheels up for Middleton at 0700 hours." _ The call was then terminated.

The man hiding above the two walking ones stayed put as they walked away into the night. He touched his earpiece.

"Felicity, arrange a flight and suitable alibi for me. It's time I visited the Tri-City and Middleton."

* * *

Ron's watch beeped once as he was about to conclude his nightly patrol. He turned the watch on.

"Ron, something came up." Wade's voice sounded serious, way too serious for the normally jovial pre-teen.

"Location and situation report?" Ron got ready to speed away again.

"Not like that. It's more of an ...oddity. You will need to see this. Streaming video."

Ron got the watch close to his face. A security camera footage started playing out. It looked like the footage was from an airport lounge. As he watched, Wade froze at a specific frame and zoomed in. The image was of a man wearing a small baseball cap, sporting a three o'clock shadow stubble and red reflective glasses.

"Ron, this is a Global Justice alert. It went off as soon as this man landed earlier today, at Middleton Airport. He is on Interpol's Most Wanted List, and have arrest orders on sixteen different countries."

Ron whistled loudly. "Holy shit. What the hell he did do to earn all the attention?"

Wade's face came back on the watch. He was typing in and reading to Ron. "Floyd Lawton, international assassin. He was shot by an arrow last year in Starling City, he was presumed death. Until this morning. Codename Deadshot. Almost never misses a shot."

Ron thought out loud for a second. "Wait, when you say he was shot by an arrow..."

"Yes, it was presumably the Arrow who has shot him. Ron, this is heavy stuff. Literally killer stuff."

"Any ideas on why he is in Middleton?"

Wade sighed. "Take your pick. Some of the world's most respected scientists, with specialized knowledge certain people might not want getting out. Secret labs and projects. Certain political figures. Tri-City senator himself. And of course...Kim."

Ron got really nervous. "Wade, who amongst our enemies would hire an assassin?! They are almost all goofy idiots."

Wade remarked with a dark look on his chubby face. "Fiske wasn't. Shego herself is a well known mercenary in the underworld. Plus, there are indirect damages Kim inflicted on the underworld. There is also, however, one more target." He shot a pointed look at Ron.

Ron scoffed. "Well, let him take his shot at me. Ain't no bullet I can't outrun."

"What if he catches you standing while on patrol? Or sleeping?"

"That's why we protect the identity. And I'm always alert while on patrol."

"You were eating five nacos just half an hour ago."

"And I was alert."

"Uh-huh. All I'm saying is Ron, to watch your back. And Kim's."

Ron smiled. "When have I not done that? Don't worry though, I'll sleep with one eye open."

"I'll increase the encryption on your watch and the Kimmunicator. Expect shaky connection until I hack in more satellite subroutines. Shouldn't take more than a day."

"Will do. Be careful man, you are also a target." Ron bid goodnight to his friend, then sped off towards his house.

* * *

Ron was not happy. "Puding is in my entreé compartment."

Kim tried to placate him. "I think the cafetaria lady sad it's, uhm, turkey and vegetables..."

Rufus went down on the disgusting puding, but Ron was gazing longingly at another table. He pointed towards there. "Look at the senior table. There's no turkey puding over there. They don't have to eat this slop." _ One day, my darling Rufus, one day, we will eat gloriously from that table!_

Kim and Ron talked about the senior table, but it was only making them more hungry, and more envious. Luckily, Monique walked in and asked for Kim's Kimmunicator. She turned it on immediately.

"Wade!"

"Hey Monique. Just in time. Streaming the Clique report."

Ron didn't know about no such thing of course. "What are you doing?"

Monique chided him. "Shhh. This is crucial." As they watched, Elsa Clique showed up and dubbed them all 'fashion victims.' Of course, in Ron's case, that was an everyday situation.

Kim had never liked that woman's show or her fashion advice. "Monique, tell me you don't heed Elsa Clique's fashion advice."

"Her word is law Kim."

"Why can't people have their own style? What makes her so smart?"

Ron nodded sagely as he spoke. "Kim, she is on television."

The show continued to stream into the small screen. _"From Milan to Paris, poofy pink is making a statement!" _ Then the most ridicilous pink one-piece dress Ron and Kim had probably ever seen ( barring that one time where Ron was a ballerina, of course) was shown on-screen.

Kim took the Kimmunicator from Monique and took a good look at it. "This is so weak. Nobody would wear anything that stupid in the real world."

Ron took a look at the cafetaria entrance and held back a serious laugh. Then he discreetly pointed towards there. "Do you consider high-school real world?" Bonnie was there, walking with an air of ultimate smugness and superiority, in the very same dress they had just seen on the show.

Bonnie turned back and looked at Kim dead-on. "If you need me, I'll be at the senior table. Fruits of the sea~."

Kim got frustrated and clammed up as she growled. Ron tried to cheer her up. "Look at the bright side. One day, she'll have pictures in that dress, as in photographic evidence of certainly foolish youth."

* * *

Ron walked onto the school's front yard, and got an instant headache. He was seeing Kims, _plural. _ She saw someone with red head and Kim's mission clothes, and naturally assumed it was her. The hair was shorter than normal, but hey...

He touched the redhead's shoulder. "Hey Kim I-oh." The redhead whose head had just turned towards Ron was not Kim. "Sorry, I thought you were someone else." Rufus came from under his shirt and near his chin. The naked mole rat pointed towards the other side of the yard.

"Oh, phew, there she is." Ron was now looking at the back of a long haired redhead, who wore Kim's mission clothes as well. "And she's wearing her mission clothes too, she must need us." He reached and grabbed the redhead's shoulder. "Kim, what's up?"

This redhead was certainly not Kim either. It was a girl with purple sunglasses and smaller in stature than Kim. She seemed irritated when Ron interrupted her. "Do I know you?!" Then she walked away.

Ron was now certain he had walked into some sort of Twilight-zone with his super speed powers. Coz wherever he looked, he was seeing people with Kim's mission ensemble. He rubbed his eyes, Rufus doing the same with him and chittering with fear.

"I know, I'm scared too." He looked down at Rufus with fearful eyes. He looked ahead after that, and finally saw Kim amongst the sea of Kimitators. She was wearing her cheerleading outfit. "Kim, is that really you?!"

Kim turned to him and held her hands sideways with frustration. "Man..."

* * *

"Thanks...and nice try but you can't pull this look off." The entire senior table was burst into laughter as Kim was mortified beyond reproach. Bonnie's answer to Kim was, beyond any doubt, hypocritical.

High school, you know.

Kim turned towards Ron and Monique, whom had literally dragged her here to 'ride her look's wave.' Her shoulders sagged and she growled, rather loudly. "But.. It's my look!" She walked away in horror as people kept laughing at her.

After school, the three friends were sitting in their booth at Bueno Nacho. Kim suddenly spied a Club Banana bag behind Ron. " What'd you got over there?"

"Wha, what bag?" Ron was now scared, coz Kim was not going to like this.

"The one you are trying to hide." She grabbed the bag and took a look inside. She gasped immediately. "Ron... Are those... A clothing line for pets?!" She looked at Rufus, who were buried under a mountain of nachos. "No...No...No!"

Rufus came from under the nachos he was eating, and showed off his Kim-look. Kim squinted her eyes at Rufus. "I looked you better naked."

Ron whistled innocently. "I kinda went in to buy myself a pair, but then realized it was the same mission clothes I was buying from Smarty Mart. Rufus though, looked smashing."

Monique wagged her finger at Ron. "Bite your tongue heathen, Smarty Mart sells only cheap knock offs!"

Ron knew this was a lost battle, so he kept eating his nachos. Kim stood up, frustrated. "It's my wave, and even Rufus rides it while I can't!" She turned around and bumped into Bonnie, who were wearing Kim-style. "Sorry- ugh! As if I didn't have enough problems."

Bonnie, very uncharacteristically, started growling, like a dog. Then she grabbed Kim and threw her away. _ Five freaking meters away._ Kim flipped in the air and landed to a crouch. People in the fast food joint panicked and started to run away. Kim pointed towards the door. "Let's move!"

Kim, Ron and Monique ran out to almost bump into another Bonnie. Kim and Ron screamed as they saw her. This Bonnie shrank away from them at first, then closed her right eye and glared at them with her left. "Kim Possible, you are such a loser! I mean, you wear that same stupid outfit like everyday!"

Ron was a bit surprised, as he did the same with his red jersey, brown cargo pants and white sneakers. Bonnie wouldn't really pass up on any opportunity to make fun of him.

Kim, however, was happy. "Bonnie, it's really you! No one would insult me like that!" She grabbed and hugged Bonnie. Bonnie grabbed Kim and shoved her away.

"What are you doing?" As Kim tried to apologize, the back door of Bueno Nacho exploded and gave way to three additional Bonnies, all in Kim-style clothing.

Ron was now scared witless. "How many Bonnies are there?!" They ran around the corner and hid in the trash container. The growling Bonnies passed by and their sounds faded over a minute.

They slowly stuck their heads out. Ron was trying to understand what the hell was going on, and if it was worth trying to go Flash. _ Probably not, since Kim would get suspicious, and I've no idea what the hell is going on. Besides, my backpack is still in Bueno Nacho. _ He then saw what was splashing around their feet.

"This is intensely weird."

"Yea...One Bonnie is more than enough, thank you."

Ron pointed down. "No, I mean we are standing in soda."

Kim saw that and was immediately down on her mood. "Ohhh..."

All four of them jumped out from the container, covered in soda completely. Bonnie was mortified. "I'm... sticky!"

Monique grabbed her and turned to Kim. "Maybe I should take Bonnie home."

"Yea.. Good idea."

As the two girls walked away, Ron and Kim heard growling from around the corner. Another feral Bonnie walked in and jumped towards them. Ron evaded her and stuck out his right foot, tripping the feral brunette. Kim flipped and kicked it into the trash, then shut down the container's lid.

After half a minute, they heard weird sounds from the container. Ron was curious. "What's going on in there?"

"I dunno. It sounds like.." Kim opened the lid slightly and peeked inside. "She's melting. Ewww."

Ron took a look inside as well and saw a blobbing green liquid. "That is sick and wrong." Kim pulled the Kimmunicator, took a sample and placed it in the device's analysis section.

"Wade, I'm beaming you an analysis of what's inside this dumpster."

Wade didn't really get it, but shrugged. "Fine." After a few seconds, he got the results from his secondary computer. "This is beyond freaky."

"How far beyond?"

"Syntho chemical duplicate beyond."

Kim was skeptical. "A clone?"

"No, it's not a true clone."

Ron cut in with his sagely wisdom. "An imitation clone. I hate it when the villains cut corners."

Kim looked at him with a deadpan expression, then turned to Wade. "So we are talking Drakken here?"

Wade nodded. "Definitely. I picked up a big energy signature. Just like one of Drakken's lairs. But... it's moving."

Kim smirked and turned to Ron, who did the same.

* * *

A circular hole was cut into Drakken's trailer-lair, and two teens jumped in almost immediately after. Drakken turned to them and rubbed his hands together.

"Isn't this precious? The prey has come to me. Hmm." He turned to his henchman nearby. "Well, what are you waiting for, get me Kim Possible's DNA!"

Kim was suddenly grossed out. "My DNA?!" She jumped over the charging henchman. "I think not!" Ron also flipped over the henchman, who crashed into a heap of Bonnies behind them.

Ron decided it was time for some good old banter. "If you want Kim-style, pay retail."

Drakken hummed for a second. "I don't think so. Get them!" Kim and Ron went back-to-back as they were surrounded by Bonnies and a few henchmen.

Kim pointed towards the machine in the corner. "Ron, the cloning machine!"

Ron nodded and ran towards it. "I'm all over it KP!" One Bonnie tried to intercept, which Ron dodged with ease and dove under her. He inspected the machine as Kim fought some Bonnies. He tried to find a self-destruct button, but failed. Apparently, Drakken was getting more genre-savvy over time.

He turned when he heard a dangerous growling and saw Kim's pants were being ruined by a commodore poodle. Those were... nasty animals, to say the least. He jumped in and kicked the poodle.

Both the henchmen and Bonnies around them were carrying tweezers which they lunged with. Ron blocked three Bonnies in a row, but one of them got to his blind spot and picked a blonde strand of hair. Someone also picked one whisker of Rufus.

Drakken screamed. "Not them idiots, the redhead!" Ron tried to counter lunges from Kim's back, and almost succeeded as he defended four tweezers at once, but one lucky henchman got through when he was looking towards the right side. Kim's hair was plucked, which only angered her.

She went all out on two henchman and knocked them down. Ron also took one Bonnie out of their way as Kim grabbed her and ran towards the back door of the trailer. They jumped down and rolled on the asphalt, and the trailer came to a stop a few hundred meters away.

"Kim, we can't just let Drakken steal our DNA!" Ron was now panicking, because unlike Kim, _ his clones had the potential to be speedsters._

"I think we just did!" They started running towards the trailer, but came to a stop when the door opened...And gave way to three Rons.

_And now, we are fudged seventeen ways till Sunday. _ Ron tried to warn Kim, but it was too late as the Ron brigade rushed forward in top speed. To the original Ron's relief, they were only performing at his peak normal human speed.

"Kim, go and deal with Drakken, I'll be the distraction!" Ron started running away as Kim jumped over the Rons and some incoming Bonnies, and kept running towards the trailer.

Suddenly, one of the syntho-Rons surged forward erratically, almost catching Ron in his normal dash. He rolled under the punch and came face to face with the second of the syntho-Rons now surging at him in super-speed.

He let his own power activate immediately, which let him evade the incoming punch barely. He rolled sideways and looked for an exit route. He saw Kim ahead, trying to get inside the trailer, but getting kicked by another Kim.

He turned towards the treeline near them and blasted away in superspeed while Kim was down. All of his three syntho-clones took pursuit in super speed, and immediately they were past the treeline and in the thin woods.

Ron stopped immediately and turned around. Syntho-clones rushed in and tried to hit him, but he evaded them all, albeit barely. As he did, he became aware of a crucial piece of information. _ They have the speed, but none of the style! Of course, Monkey Kung Fu can't be cloned!_

He rushed towards the closest clone and threw a fake punch towards its face. The clone dodged, but it was unprepared for Ron's spinning kick which landed from under its chin. It was blasted towards a tree and impacted with force.

The second and the third clones caught him unaware as he recovered from the kick though. He was rushed and punched by the second, and then the third caught him in the air as he was sailing from the impact, plastering him to a tree. Ron groaned, but kicked the clone away from himself.

The clone number two rushed again, but Ron was ready this time. He blocked the haywire punch towards his face and glanced it towards the tree. Clone's hand got stuck in the tree, and Ron spun around it to position himself. As the third clone rushed, Ron prepared himself and rolled sideways in superspeed.

The third clone's punch connected with the back of the second, and they both crumpled into a heap near the tree. Ron saw the first clone rushing in from where it was sprawled earlier. He needed a distraction, and plan ahead this fight.

Suddenly, he got an idea as he looked at the ground. He started spinning around himself in super speed. He increased his speed as a mini-tornado started around him. The clones were getting pelted with rocks and dust.

Suddenly, it ended and the clones were now looking at an empty, ravaged plot of land under the trees.

Some hundred meters away, Ron whispered into his watch. "Wade!"

"Ron, I'm a bit busy now! Streaming video to Kim as well, hold on!" The connection shuddered for a second, then it restabilized. Ron heard Kim's somewhat panicked voice.

"Make it count Wade!"

"Analysis of Drakken's clones show they are unstable."

"Tell me something I don't know!"

"I mean chemically unstable! A mixture of hydrogen, oxygen and carbondioxide will melt it!"

"I'm a little short of a chemlab at the moment, and Ron is nowhere to be seen!" Then Kim's voice stilled for a second. "Wait. The dumpster. Hydrogen, oxygen and carbondioxide.. Soda!"

Kim's connection was cut, but Ron was still in contact with Wade. "Wade, it's all good for Kim, but my clones are super speeding around, and I can't control them! Tell me you got another solution!"

Wade seemed like he was thinking. "Their chemical composition is meant to be housing normal human capacities with enhanced animal characteristics. They cannot be holding composure at super speeds for a long time."

"So what, I'll run them to ground? Wade, I'm not in suit here!"

"It's either that, soda or you need to literally dismember them!"

Ron's chat was cut short as a fist impacted to the tree he was hiding behind. He jumped forward and sped around some trees, coming face to face with the three clones now closing in on him. He saw the latter two clones were showing discoloration around their hair. It looked like they were destabilizing.

_Let's keep it that way. _ He shouted. "If you wanna imitate the Ron-Man, let's see you fakes keep up!" He concentrated and let himself fill with his power, felt his body vibrating faster and faster.

He suddenly shot forward and clothes-lined the foremost clone in the neck. The clone drew an arc in the air as it sailed backwards some thirty meters or so and finally impacted on a tree and got impaled on a thick branch.

Ron kept running and turned around to blitz the other two clones. They too were speeding, but he didn't let up and forced himself to go faster. Clones were moving slower to his eyes now, and he used that to his advantage. He weaved under the second clone's haymaker, and countered with a super speeded, spinning flying kick to its chin. The clone's head snapped backwards fully and flew away from the impact.

Ron kept spinning as he landed and caught the final clone in a sweeping kick to its knees. It crumpled onto its knees, and Ron finished his speed rage with his knee catching the clone dead in the nose.

He looked at the three clones. The first one, still impaled, was trying to squirm free. Ron supersped near it and grabbed the branch it was impaled on. He applied his strength and broke it near the root, then rotated it so fast that it ripped the clone in two. It dissolved into green goo.

"I'm so happy you guys are not real people." His scan of the remaining two showed that the first one was already decomposing from the excessive damage and super speed use. Last one, however, seemed to be getting back up. Ron was fed up with these fakes, so he blasted forward wih fury.

"Just get lost already!" He came to a momentary stop in front of the clone and pulled both his arms back with his fists squeezed. Then he blasted full forward with his speed, and his arms blurred into a storm of punches. He screamed as he kept punching the clone and charging forward.

In the matter of seconds, he had torn the clone to shreds, and in the process, drove through no less than seven trees in his wake.

He came to a stop and collapsed on his knees. This display of pure speed and power had tired him out immensely. He felt his arms plop near his sides, almost numb. He still had much training to do.

He slowly stood up and shook his arms. He still had to go get to Kim.

* * *

Which proved unnecessary as he found Kim in Bueno Nacho, completely drenched in soda. The place was soaked in both soda and the green syntho-goo. He almost retched as he carefully stepped over the puddles. Rufus was in a corner, covered with green goo, apparently had fought off his own clones.

While they stared at each other, Drakken walked towards the front of the joint and got picked up by Shego. Ron turned to intercept, but Kim held his shoulder and shook her head.

* * *

Back at the school, it was Kim's turn to get a headache. The place was swimming with red jerseys. She opened her locker and Monique approached her. Kim raised one of her eyebrows at Monique.

"Ron-style this time?"

"Yea, Kim-style was red-tagged to move already. 75% off!"

Kim sighed. "Bet Ron is loving this."

Monique winked. "See for yourself." She pointed to somewhere behind Kim. Kim turned and saw the real Ron amongst a few of his clothing style.

And he was wearing his football team jacket. Kim came near him and nudged him. "You don't like the Ron-style? I'd think you'd jump at the chance."

Ron shuddered. "I had enough clone problems for at least another few years, thank you." Kim laughed and patted him on the back as he dejectedly walked to his class.

Along the way, Tara ambushed him and got in his way. "No wonder you wear this everyday, it's so very comfy Ron!"

Ron groaned and glared at Tara. "Please, not you too."

Tara gave him a once-over and looked appreciatively. "You should dress like that more, jacket looks cooler on you."

Ron smiled and pointed behind him. "Tell that to the Elsa Clique-ers."

* * *

A hooded man stood in the clearing created by Ron's earlier mini-tornado. He scanned the surroundings and took note of various skidmarks on the ground, almost all of them created by something moving at very high velocity.

He touched his earpiece. "Felicity, tell me what you dug up from today's police report."

The woman in her ear answered with a puzzled voice. _"The report is vague on what happened where you are standing Oliver. I'm reading that Kim Possible handled the ..uh...syntho-clones, with spraying soda over them, but it says only 'Ron Stoppable negated them in the woods.' Just to point one fact out, am I the only one grossed out by the term of a syntho-clone?"_

The hooded man disregarded the last comment and instead focused on the area again. He muttered to himself. "Flash seems to have helped here... But why?"

_"You still want to get a hold of that guy?"_

"This is his city, and plus, he can be useful in countering the Suicide Squad. None of them has a skill to counter him."

_"Just saying Oliver, we still don't know how the Squad will conduct business in Middleton."_

* * *

_Become a sidekick they said. It'll be fun they said. You'll see the world they said._

_Weeeellll... Nobody mentioned babysitting the hero's brothers, and that is so not in the job description. _ Kim was saddled with babysitting while her parents were out conducting their spousal encounter, and she was forced to bring them along the mission.

So far, they had almost managed to crash their transport plane, trash the lab of Cyrus Bortel and got on Ron's nerves immensely. He loved the tweebs like they were his own brothers, but boy did they get on your nerves when they put their minds to it.

Ron took a look at Kim's twin brothers, who were now in the process of whining about being bored. Of course, they didn't stay put and started to go after Kim.

Ron caught their shoulders and turned the twin towards himself. "Wai-wai-wait! Kim said to stay put."

Tim grinned and answered. "Well, Kim's not here."

"Yes I am." An unusually chipper Kim answered from behind them. When Ron turned towards the voice, he saw the fashion disaster walking.

"Kim, why are you dressed like Shego?" Which was exactly what had happened, Kim was sporting a full Shego getup.

The unusually chipper Kim answered, her face shrouded in a shadow from a nearby tree. "That is not important."

Ron asked again, a tiny piece of dread slowly building in his stomach. "Oookay, so where is the chip?"

Kim walked forward, and twins answered his question. "On her forehead!"

"Doctor Drakken will see you now."

"Hoo-sha?" Jim asked in fear. Ron stuck Rufus out and handed him to the twins. "Hold my naked mole rat boys. I'm going in." Then he turned around and throw a look at them. "This might get ugly."

Ron rushed Kim and made a move towards the chip. The mind-controlled Kim reacted with precision-perfect reflexes and deflected his reaching hands. She grabbed them and throw Ron over her shoulder. Ron righted himself in the air and landed in a crouch. He tried to sweep Kim's feet with his extended leg, but Kim jumped over him and kicked with her left leg.

Ron caught the descending kick with his right hand. Kim twisted in the air and brought her right leg down on Ron as well, who also caught it with his left hand. Locked in the air, Kim rolled forward and spun around Ron's head, whose arms were now cross-locked in the front, still holding Kim's legs. Kim sat on his neck and clearly intended to strangle him with her legs.

_Holy shit, she is good! And she is not holding back like we do in training!_ Ron had one asset Kim didn't have though, one that he recently acquired, and was entitled as a growing teenage boy who played football. That was, muscles. He flexed the muscles on both his shoulderblades, arms and neck. Kim's leg gave way as he applied full pressure. Ron threw Kim away, and she landed on one of the parachutes they used earlier.

She spoke when she landed. "Doctor Drakken has ordered the capture of Ron Stoppable."

Ron was strangely happy. "He remembered my name!"

Jim shouted. "Initiate big sister capture sequence."

Tim continued on. "And we can't even get in trouble!"

Jim jumped and took hold of a vine to swing above Kim, while Tim slid beneath his sister's feet and grabbed the bag which used to hold the chute in. He then threw it to Jim, who was not on a high branch. Jim jumped down and brought the bag with him, effectively capturing Kim in the parachute as it constricted around her.

They tied the bag to a tree and ran away. Ron was amazed. "You captured Kim Possible."

The twins chorused as they ran. "No big!"

* * *

"We didn't know you could take on Sis like that Ron!" Tim sounded very surprised as they climbed a tall tree.

Ron grunted while climbing. "I do train with Kim, and she's good at what she does."

They sat down on a thick branch. Ron looked down on the forest ground. "If Kim were here, and..." He saw Kim prowling under them. She was chanting something.

"Must capture Ron Stoppable. Must capture Ron Stoppable. Must capture Ron Stoppable."

"Creepy." All three boys chorused. Ron continued from before. "If Kim were here and _not _ under Drakken's control, she'd cook up a plan." Rufus nodded profusely on Ron's shoulder.

"Let yourself get captured!" Jim was far too enthusiastic for Ron's liking.

"A plan that doesn't involve that."

"Drakken doesn't know about us. He ordered Kim to get you. That's all she cares about." Tim pointed down towards his sister.

"Let her take you into his lair. We'll follow."

"Oh and get the Kimmunicator."

Ron nodded. "Oh, to call for help!"

Jim shook his head. "No, we take the powercell out of the Kimmunicator-" Tim continued, "and put it into our silicon phase disruptor," Jim continued again. "And jam the control frequency of that chip!" Tim added. "That's why Bortel had it in his lab!" Jim continued speaking as he took Ron's grappling rope and tied it around the branch. "To override the chip!"

Ron was getting a major headache. "This finishing each other's sentences thing is really freaking me out."

Tim pointed downwards. "Here she comes! Go!"

Ron sighed and let himself go from the branch. "This better work."

He descended and was held by rope just near the mind-controlled Kim. He sounded like they were at Bueno Nacho as he spoke. "What up Kim? So, how's the whole mind control thing working out?"

Kim was smiling creepily as she untied Ron and took both of his hands beyond his back. "You must be taken to Dr. Drakken."

* * *

Shego's controlled voice rang through the hidden lair. "You are very smart, and look good in this light." Ron saw her wearing a _ pink apron! _ on her usual ensemble as Kim took him inside.

"Fine Shego, don't wear it out." Drakken sounded exasparated as he tinkered on a third chip.

"Doctor Drakken, you are very smart and look good in this light!" Kim sounded very enthusiastic as she proclaimed. Ron's hands were bound behind himself, otherwise he'd be doing a gag mimic right now.

Drakken pointed to Kim. "Now see, she sells it."

Ron was not amused. _This is beyond sick and wrong, it's wrongsick._ He glared at Drakken. While Drakken moved towards him, Rufus slithered from Ron's pocket and sauntered off, as planned to get the Kimmunicator.

"So Kim Possible, you climbed down the waterfall and captured your very best friend. I like this mind control thing very much." As Drakken gloated, Jim and Tim crept from behind.

"Yes, Dr. Drakken." Ron was about to gag from the un-Kim-liness that oozed from Kim.

"Now go secure the perimeter or something."

Kim pointed towards the sneaking Rufus. "What about the hairless rodent?"

Drakken approached Rufus. "Stop! Give me that!" Rufus held out the Kimmunicator unwillingly. "Now, Shego, Kim, destroy that little bald thing."

Both Kim and Shego charged at Rufus, who jumped above both. The two females crashed into each other, face first and all. Ron's eyebrows rose. _ They are not as adept when they had their own free will._

As Kim and Shego chased Rufus, Drakken turned around and saw Jim behind himself. "Who are you?"

"The kid whose gonna bring you down!"

"Oh really, you and what army?-" He was cut off as Tim jumped on Drakken with a "Hoo-sha!"

"A clone!"

"Yea, that's right loser." Jim grabbed the Kimmunicator from Drakken's belt and ran away.

Drakken was furious. "Shego, Kim, forget about the rodent. Get those little clones!"

Rufus wiped sweat from his forehead as the deadly females turned towards the twins. Jim turned to Ron. "Stall 'em!"

"Right. Okay." _ Here goes nothing._

Shego charged her hands and swiped at Ron, who dodged by leaning back. He ducked under Shego's next set of swipe and Kim flying spinning kick. Kim dove under and tried to sweep his feet. Ron jumped over that and angled his hands so Shego's next swipe cut his bonds.

He jumped over Kim and ran towards a metal door nearby. Before he could reach it, Kim flipped over him and cut off his path. Ron faked a punch and then dove under Kim's guard. The pursuing Shego crashed into Kim.

_They are definitely not at their top form. I gotta use that. _ He reached the metal gate and it automatically lifted. Inside was a small corridor with two similar metal gates with switches on left and right.

He picked the right door, and was greeted by a small army of henchmen. "Wrong door!" He closed the door and kicked the mechanism to keep it that way. He then went inside the left door, which had opened into a large cavern filled with energy generators and cooling systems.

He hid near a generator. Kim and Shego had come inside as well, and were now prowling for him. Ron sneaked around them and reached a freight elevator to topside. He activated it. This alerted Kim and Shego, who turned towards the elevator and began scaling the coolant tanks to reach it.

Both of them made it in time to jump on the freight elevator. As they descended upon him, Ron allowed himself to slip into his super speed, even to just review his options. He saw a tactic that might work, if only barely.

_Nobody said I was one hundred percent sane anyway! _ He punched the elevator's control mechanism and then jumped towards the descending Shego. He caught her in the air from her waist and fell on top of the cooling system ventilation system.

Kim was now stranded on the ascending elevator, cut off from Shego. The green villainess stood up and charged Ron with glowing hands. Ron blocked Shego's arms and kept the plasma away from himself, and then threw a low kick towards Shego's left leg. She crumpled on her left knee when the kick connected. Ron continued the assault by grabbing Shego and throwing her off the ventilation system and towards a coolant tank down below. Shego bounced on it and didn't get up immediately.

_She looks like she is not even trying to fight seriously, the chips have weakened them! _ Just as he was about to take a breather, Kim jumped down from a nearby coolant. Apparently she had scaled the system down while Ron fought Shego. _ I can't throw her off like Shego, or she might get injured!_

He didn't have much time to think after, as he was forced to cheat by using his super-speed awareness to at least see Kim's raining blows on slow-motion. He didn't try to deflect any, as their footing was very fragile and narrow. He kept evading the kicks and the punches as he retreated further back on the ventilation pipe.

As they neared a ventilation shaft, Kim spun and threw a rotating kick towards his head. In a split second decision, he blocked the kick with his left forearm and moved in Kim's guard range while her back was still turned towards him. He rushed and grabbed Kim's waist by wrapping his right arm around it. Then he slid his left arm out of the block and tried to grab Kim's forehead and the chip on it.

Kim threw her head back and caught Ron in the nose, who stumbled backwards and stumbled on the ventilation shaft. The thin grated cover gave way under his weight and he fell down into the shaft itself.

After a long slide, he broke through another grated cover and fell into Drakken's lab from before, where twins were apparently driving Drakken crazy. Ron groaned as he tried to get up. His nose was thumping with pain, and he became aware of it bleeding. He stood up shakily and looked at Drakken, who looked very angry.

_I can take him down now! _ He tried to rush Drakken, but the blue villain covered and shouted as Ron charged. "Get away you buffoon!" Ron was suddenly pushed back towards the metal door by a freak wind blast.

As he crashed and slumped against the gate, it opened to show Kim and Shego behind it. Ron was trying to get his bearings together when Shego kicked him and sent him rolling across the room.

As both Kim and Shego prepared to beat Ron, the twins chorused. "Stop!" Everyone stopped and looked at them.

Drakken turned to them. "Ah! I'm onto you! You are not clones, you're just garden variety twins. You don't give the orders here!"

Jim pointed towards himself. "I do if I've got a silicon phase disruptor."

Drakken was taken aback. "A silicon phase.. disruptor? Really?"

"Hoo-sha."

"Wait, how could two little boys carry a silicon phase disruptor up the cliff?"

"It's portable." Jim showed the small phone sized device in his hand.

Drakken snorted and wheezed. "Portable?!" He chuckled. "Oh you really had me going there for a moment."

"Hicka-bicka-boo?" Tim asked Jim.

"Hicka-bicka-boo." Jim answered, just as eloquent as his brother. He then pointed the device towards Shego and Kim, and pressed the button to activate it. It failed.

Drakken laughed again. "A portable silicon phase disruptor! I knew it couldn't be done!"

Twins took the battery out and rewired it in reverse. Jim tried activating it again. This time, it worked. Suddenly, the chips on Shego and Kim's forehead came off.

Shego shuddered, then took a look at Kim near her. "Nice outfit." She commented snidely.

Kim snickered. "Nice apron." Shego looked at the apron, tore it off and started walking dangerously towards Drakken.

"Okay, _Doc_, for future reference, the chip made me obey every command. But I was aware of exactly what was happening!"

Drakken whimpered. "The whole time?"

Shego shouted as she started to chase Drakken out of the lair. "Dodgeball and dodos?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT LISTENING TO YOU IS LIKE?! IT IS SOO BORING!"

Ron stood up and held his nose. He asked while keeping his head turned upwards. "Shouldn't we go after them?"

"Nah, whatever Shego is going to do to Drakken is ten times worse than anything I could come up with."

* * *

Kim was reading a magazine as her brothers slept near her on the couch. The front door opened and her parents walked into the house.

"Hey everybody, good news! Our marriage is stronger than ever! Hehe, we caught a mesa-trout." James Possible walked in and exclaimed with happiness.

Anne Possible came inside with the caught fish wrapped in newspaper. She took a look at the twins sleeping like little angels. "Looks like somebody took very good care of her little brothers."

Kim smiled. "Awww. When they're asleep like that, they hardly seem evil at all."

It didn't last of course. As soon as her mother noticed the mind control chips on the twins, she used the silicon phase disruptor, thus waking the twins up, and thus unleashing tweeb tornado on Possible household again.

She moved to her room and started to brush her teeth, when her Kimmunicator beeped. She answered. "Wade, it's been a long day and I kinda wanna sleep early. What's up?"

"Kim, somebody just broke into the government weapons lab under Middleton Science Center!"

Kim's eyes shot open fully. "Isn't that the location where-"

"They developed the Centurion Project, yes! I had installed a backdoor trojan to alert me in case another breach occurred, and looks like it just happened!"

Kim changed her clothes and jumped out of her window. "Get Ron to pick me up!"

* * *

Ron was on his last sweep of the city when Wade called. Speeding to the house, changing behind the house in super speed and taking his scooter out took less than three minutes.

He drove the scooter to Kim's place and cursed the scooter's speed. This was ridicilous, he could go in there as Flash, why Wade was insistent on sending them both, he didn't know. All Wade had said was to "watch your back."

He didn't even stop as he threw a helmet to Kim and she jumped behind him on the scooter. They arrived the Science Center ten minutes later, and proceded to the gate behind it that led to the underground weapons lab.

The door was busted by a big explosion, and it looked like a professional's work. Kim made a 'shush' gesture with her finger and then they proceded inside.

A few alarms were ringing, and the guards that were posted nearby were laying on the ground. A red pool had formed under them. Kim gasped lightly as she saw this. Ron grabbed her shoulder. He then whispered to Kim's ear.

"Kim, this is not one of our goofy villains. It doesn't fit. We gotta call for backup."

Kim turned to Ron with fury. "And let whoever who did this run amok inside? No way in hell!" She ran off further inside. Ron followed her.

They exited the entrance hall and faced a big atrium that seemingly connected to many other lab units. They had entered from the middle of the atrium onto a glass walkway, and Ron could see a few floors of cubicles below themselves, and a stairwell above them which connected some of the bigger lab complexes.

He suddenly heard a whistling sound and went into super speed. A high velocity bullet was closing in on Kim, a faster bullet than he had ever seen. He barely reacted in time and pulled Kim away. The bullet impacted near them into the glass floor of the walkway, shattering it instantly.

Kim held on a beam under the walkway while Ron jumped ahead onto the sides of the walkway. He was holding himself up when he heard a second whistling and let go of himself. The bullet hit where just was as he fell. He landed on a cubicle with an impact.

He immediately looked up to see Kim jumping from beam to beam, towards the lab that held the Centurion Project. She had been here before while the scientists had removed the Centurion bracelet from her.

Whoever was shooting at them saw this, and countered by shattering the glass ceiling above with a few well placed shots. The entire atrium was showered with broken glass, and Kim dove for cover in a cubicle near Ron. Ron grabbed her as she jumped down and pulled her under a desk with himself.

"Ron, we gotta move!" As she screamed, a bullet pierced the cubicle they were hiding inside. Ron grabbed her mouth and they both stood silent. The shots had stopped.

Ron looked around from where they were hiding. His choices were very limited. He was either going to out himself and pull a superpowered trick, or act as distraction for Kim. He could probably dodge bullets until Kim got into the Centurion lab, but that left her without any backup when she might face the rest of whoever had broken inside.

He took his hand from Kim's mouth and first pointed to her, then to the lab door on the other side of the atrium. He then pointed to himself, and made a running man gesture with his right hand. Kim shook her head and pointed above the desk.

Suddenly, Ron heard something impact their desk. A white smoke started to cover them. He stuck his head out to find an arrow leaking gas on the desk. Someone with a distorted voice spoke from somewhere above them.

"Move now, both of you!" Kim and Ron raced across and passed by other cubicles. The voice shouted. "Keep towards the right side of the wall, shooter is in rafters above the north side!" They heeded the voice and hid behind cubicles as they ran.

Meanwhile, Ron took a look above and saw a man hooded in a dark green suit nooking an arrow into his compound bow. The man came from behind the beam he was hiding and let loose the arrow. It impacted somewhere on the other side of the atrium where Ron couldn't see. A small explosion sound rang through the atrium one second later.

Kim used this chance to make a run for the lab door. Ron trailed behind. He heard the telltale whistling again. A bullet had just pierced the smoke up in the rafters, and making way towards Kim's head. Ron didn't think.

He jumped ahead in super speed and tackled Kim out of the way. They landed in a heap, Ron was covering Kim. Then he pushed Kim towards the door after getting her to stand up. The hooded man was letting arrows loose against the shooter on the rafters.

Kim turned around and her blood froze in her veins. Something had _ pierced between Ron's neck and right shoulder._ Ron was bleeding. He pushed her through the door and shouted "Get to Centurion!" Then he dove behind another cubicle.

Kim nodded, albeit with tears threatening to escape her eyes, and ran inside the lab. Ron looked around and hid further inside the cubicle he had taken refuge in. He became aware of the pain in his right shoulderblade.

This was beyond crazy. Ron Stoppable couldn't help at all, not anymore.

But Ron knew someone who did. He took his bag and hid under the desk as he changed to the dark red suit.

_"Ron! Your vitals are fluctuating, what the hell is going on!" _ Wade's voice resonated within his right ear, from the built-in two-way radio earpiece.

"No time to explain, gotta finish this!" Ron left his backpack under the desk and went into super-speed. He ran to the walkway above, where they originally came through.

"Hey dude!" He shouted as loud as he could, but was surprised to find his voice straining. He was losing blood, and this needed to end fast. His shout gained the attention of the shooter, whom Ron finally picked out.

He blasted forward, running thru the sidebar of the walkway, then up the wall to jump on the rafters. He sped through them and quickly reached the shooter. He could see the man clearly now, who had a red eyepiece above his right eye socket, shaggy hair and a many holsters for many guns. He had a scoped rifle in his hand. He realized this man as Deadshot, the assassin Wade had warned him about.

He reached up as the shooter reacted as fast as he could and pulled a Glock from a shoulder holster. Ron caught the black jumpsuit of Deadshot and batted away the gun, then threw him towards a cubicle some twenty meters below. The assassin struggled to get up, but an arrow pierced his right hand and pinned it on the ground. The hooded man jumped down and rolled towards the door Kim had gone into.

Ron sped downstairs and stopped near the guy as well. A sudden pain shot up from his shoulder and he sagged to the ground as he was paralyzed from agony. The hooded man, now clear to Ron that this was Starling City's vigilanté Arrow, held his arm and steadied Ron.

"You are hurt." The eyes behind the domino mask of the man squinted towards Ron's right shoulder. "Shot from the right shoulderblade."

Ron knew he was busted, but he had no time to deal with it. He tried to focus through the pain and staggered towards the door. "I gotta get to... Kim."

The hooded vigilante looked at him for a second, then nodded slightly. He pulled out a sealed syringe from his pouch, broke the seal with a single move, and stabbed it right through Ron's suit and into his right shoulderblade. Suddenly, the pain lessened and Ron felt his right arm going numb.

"What the..."

"Serum to constrict blood flow and shut off pain receptors. Limited time. We now have five minutes before you pass out."

"Then let's go!" Ron blasted through the lab door, Arrow in pursuit behind.

* * *

Kim was in trouble. As soon as she had ran inside the Centurion lab, a dark-skinned man with metal claws on his hands had ambushed her. She got away with a few scratches from the first contact.

He was not the only one inside though. A woman with dark red hair was touching the vault door for a while, and Kim had realized it had started to glow. Another man, this one with a regular ski mask on his head, was at the lab's main computer and apparently wiping the system.

Kim avoided another set of deadly slashes from the man with the claw, and Flash blasted inside just then. He took one second to examine the situation, then he blasted towards the man Kim was fighting.

Without realizing, the man with the claws had received a punch-storm from Flash, and was thrown across the room, near the guy still on the computer. He stood up as his accomplice crashed near and shouted. "Plastique!"

"It's done Colonel." The woman ran away from the door and it glowed impossibly red for a moment. Then it exploded in a shower of molten metal. Kim took cover behind a chair.

As the smoke died down, Kim saw the man called Colonel running in and grabbing the Centurion bracelet. Flash moved to intercept him, but the woman touched the ground in front of herself and the Colonel. A milisecond after she did, Flash reached them, but was blasted backwards by the very ground exploding. He rolled on the ground and came to a stop.

Kim watched as the Colonel pushed his earpiece and spoke. "Mission complete. Immediate extraction needed." A voice Kim couldn't possibly make out from the distance answered.

Arrow ran into the lab just then, and nooked an arrow onto the bow, training it on the duo. "Don't move."

The masked man turned to Arrow. "I don't think so." Just as he said that, the top of the lab exploded to let them see a hovering helicopter above. Two lines were cast down. The man and the woman held them and started to raise in the air.

Kim tried to jump out from her hiding place, but a shot rang and impacted in front of Kim. "I'm afraid your heroics are quite unnecessary Miss Possible. Stay where you are." The masked man was sporting a gun in his hand now. "If you are lucky, you'll never see us again."

The man with the metal claws stood up and ran towards the ziplines. A green arrow caught him in his right knee as he ran. He fell down screaming. "Don't leave me here Flagg!"

Just as they were about to clear the lab and reach the night sky above, the masked man spoke. " Mission above all Ben, you know this. Waller won't leave you behind anyway." And then they were gone.

Ron stood up, shaking slightly. The effect of the serum Arrow had shot into his shoulder was going to wear off soon. He had to...get to his backpack and change. He started running outside the lab.

He barely pulled off the suit, tucked it into the pack and pulled on his mission clothes before Kim made it there as well.

Then, the pain returned tenfold, instantly fainting him with the sheer strength of it.

* * *

Ron woke up and opened his eyes to an ultra comfy bed. He found his right shoulder tightly bandaged, and his shirt removed. He tried to sit up in the bed, and found his strength returning. Outside, the dawn was breaking into the sky, shooting many colors of fire to the night's darkness. Then he also noticed something else.

His left arm had fallen asleep, and by the looks of it, Kim had slept on it. She was sitting in a chair near the bed, with her head sprawled on his arm. His stirrings woke her up though. She opened her eyes and yawned.

She immediately remembered all that happened, and went into overdrive. "Oh God Ron, are you okay? How are you feeling? Do you need something? Wait, there was some water by the-" She stopped when Ron held her arm.

"No need Kim, I'm somewhat fine. Just relax." He looked around in the room they were in. "This looks like a hotel room."

A voice rang through the door to the room. "It is. It's my suite, actually." A tall, blonde and ruggedly handsome man with a three o'clock shadow stubble walked in. He was wearing a black t-shirt and jeans. "It was one place where we could treat you without the police interference."

Ron turned to Kim with an almost visible question on his face. Kim shook her head. "Let him explain."

The man walked into the room and approached them. Ron then noticed a second, dark-skinned man walking in as well.

"I am Oliver Queen, and this is my bodyguard Mr. Diggle."

Ron was flabbergasted. "Queen? As in the billionaire family?"

"Yes, but my function today is a bit different."

Kim sighed. "He is the Arrow, and helped me carry you here. Mr. Diggle patched you up."

Ron whistled. "Woah, billionaire playboy and a cool-ass vigilante. You kick so much ass."

Oliver smiled. "Being a vigilante is more of a duty. But I don't have to tell you two about that."

Ron sat up fully in the bed. "Exactly what happened tonight?"

Kim turned to Oliver as well. "He waited for you to wake up, so I'm very curious as well."

Oliver pulled up a chair and sat down, as Diggle checked on Ron's wounds. "You have tangled with a government black ops group, top secret and buried so deep within the shadow budget that you'd need an entire country of federal investigators to find it."

"Why would a government black ops group wanted to steal the Centurion Project? It was already a state-sponsored project." Kim asked, puzzled by the information.

"Because A.R.G.U.S. has specific interests for that kind of power. Power that they don't want in the hands of the Air Force or Marines."

"A.R.G.U.S.? What the hell is that?"

"Advanced Research Group Uniting Super-Humans. A secret arm of the government handling meta-humans and any supernatural threat. They don't advertise what they do, they don't answer to any Senate committeé, and they officially don't exist. But within its limits, and they are considerable, they are free to act as they wish, pertaining any matter supernatural."

"How come Dr. Director never mentioned them when she explained how Global Justice keeps track of super criminals across the globe?"

"Global Justice is a United Nations funded organization with almost zero jurisdiction on internal matters. Furthermore, special sanctions disallow their actions on US and her allies. Basically Kim, Global Justice is just a clean up crew for most of the time, for the level of dangers you two have faced. A.R.G.U.S. barely tolerates superhero vigilantes most of the time, if not outright show animosity. And you two are one step away from being made the poster children of 'what is wrong with heroes and what they do' campaign."

"Today, you faced the darker side of the world powers. And this brings me to the next issue." His face took a serious visage as he spoke. "You two are getting into bigger and bigger trouble, and it's increasing steadily. I don't monitor every event outside Starling City, but even I saw what is happening here in Tri-City."

"Stronger people than that Drakken is turning their attention here. And you two are falling behind."

"What are you trying to say?!" Kim was more than irritated now. This man had no right to walk into their city and berate them like that.

Oliver stood impassive. "I respect your talent and tenacity, but facts are facts. You are not ready to face the higher element of the criminal underworld."

As Kim was about to explode, Ron put his hand on her shoulder and asked to Queen. "What would you suggest then? Quit?"

Oliver shot a lopsided smile to him. "Increase your training. Get better gear. Seek out alternative ways and tools to battle. But most of all, don't _ publicize your adventures on a website._ Your normal garden variety criminals might not stoop that low, but it's only a matter of time before someone comes after your families. In your own homes."

Kim prepared to shout something, only to find out that she couldn't. She couldn't think of a comeback. Her mouth slowly closed and she looked at Ron. He was shot, stabbed, burned by plasma, shot by a lightning bolt and put through walls recently. She was fortunate enough to escape some bad situations, and a few others Flash pulled her from.

Oliver Queen, while being too open and pompous about it, made sense.

And boy, did she hate it.

Oliver took a look at the two teens and felt pity. He changed the subject back to the night's events. "The lab is completely trashed, all data wiped and Project Centurion is gone now. Police finding you here would prove very bad for you two, so we had to leave. This is why we couldn't bring you to a hospital Ron. Your involvement must be kept secret in this. The woman at the head of A.R.G.U.S. wouldn't hesitate to make your lives miserable if she wanted it."

"So what now?" Kim asked dejectedly.

Oliver stood up. "Live your lives. Keep the supervillain fighting to your usual crowd, and keep doing that community service style deeds you two do. Advertise those instead of the fighting." Kim started to object, but Oliver raised his hand. "In the meantime, sharpen your skills. Do what I suggested. Diversify. And...well, it can wait for now."

Kim stood up and started pacing. She needed to think. But she was damn tired. Oliver put a hand to her shoulder. "Go to your home with Diggle, sleep it off. Things will be easier to figure out by then."

"Ron's injured and I won't leave him."

"We'll bring him to his house in the day. He'll be fine."

Kim looked at Ron who smiled at her. "I'll be fine Kim. Go sleep. We'll talk over Bueno Nacho later."

"Okay." She turned to Oliver and Diggle. "Thanks both for your help."

Diggle left with Kim to give her a ride to her home. Oliver turned to Ron. "We need to talk."

Ron groaned. "I shoulda guessed."

* * *

Oliver brought Ron's backpack and put it near the bed. "You should be more careful about that pack. Your suit was almost showing. You are lucky I got to it first."

"Yea well, I was passing out while I was closing it, sorry if I couldn't pull off a perfect cover up."

Oliver looked at him. Dead-on the eyes. "Why are you doing this?"

Ron was puzzled. "What? Doing what?"

"I have my tech expert check up on you. You tag along with Kim everywhere. You play football when it's in the season. And you are moonlighting as a masked hero, on top of already playing sidekick to someone else. You have almost no social life, and haven't been to your favorite fast food joint in over a week."

"I manage alright. Ron Man's good enough to handle it all, no problem."

"You pushed your average C- average to a B in a semester. You are either studying, training or patrolling. And you are trying to hide it from your best friend _whom you also do other hero work with._ This cannot go on."

"I can't quit!"

"No one said to quit. But you need to lighten your load."

"How?"

"If you are gonna keep doing this, you are gonna make mistakes." He turned to window and looked to the dawning horizon. "I've made mistakes. One of them was to keep the truth from my closest friend." He stopped and sighed. "He found out later. Never trusted me again." He turned to Ron. "He is dead now."

"What you and Kim have, it's even beyond that. You two, to my knowledge, have been friends almost all your lives, and fought through thick and thin together. If anyone deserves the truth, it's her. Otherwise, you'll end up at a place you don't want yourself at."

"Arrow...Oliver... Can I do this?" He sounded like a scared child. " I've tried, but seems like that I'm not... enough... I don't know if I can keep this up. Be a vigilante like you."

Oliver smiled weakly. "Don't you realize?" He waved his towards the city that could be seen through the window. "You are already much better than me. Much better than the nutjob at Gotham. You didn't kill anyone. People don't fear you."

"Ron, you can inspire people in a way that I never could. Watching over your city like a guardian angel. Making a difference... Saving people.. in a Flash."

Ron smiled weakly. "You had to make the pun, didn't you?"

Oliver stood up and smiled. "Get some sleep." He left the room.

Ron looked towards the city, then closed his eyes.

* * *

Kim woke up some time after noon. Thank God it was Sunday. She didn't think she could handle school after the previous night.

Her mother greeted her in the kitchen with some fried eggs on a plate. "Good morning Kimmie. Late night?"

Kim yawned. "Some weird mission. Burned the midnight oil a bit. Sorry."

"Oh it's alright. Your father took the twins to soccer, and I got to catch up on some me-time." She took a look at Kim's face. "You have some scratches on your cheek. And arms, now that I look at them. Bad stuff?"

"Glass broke, so not the drama Mom. I'm okay."

The doorbell rang. Anne Possible went to open the door. She returned with Ron in tow.

Much to Kim's surprise, his right arm wasn't in a sling and he looked just fine. Not even scratches from the glass breaking from yesterday.

He sat down on a chair opposite of Kim and plopped his head on his hands. "You okay Kim?"

"Somewhat. You?"

"Y'know...I'm Ron. I'm always fine." Kim's mother went to the living room to catch a cooking show she was watching earlier. Ron saw that she was sufficiently far and out of whisper range.

"Kim, we gotta talk." The way he said it, coupled with the serious face he was showing made Kim laugh.

"What, are you breaking up with me?" She laughed. "Why are you all 'We gotta talk Kim'?"

"This is... serious."

Kim calmed down. "Oh...Well, let's talk then."

Ron shook his head. "Not here. We gotta be... outside."

Kim nodded and finished her eggs. "I'll be down in a few minutes." She ran upstairs to dress up and get refreshed.

* * *

Alarms rang with screeching sounds in Her Majesty's Belmarsh Prison. Deep within the isolation ward, Monty Fiske raised his head when he heard them. In his lightless cell, he heard something moving in the hall outside.

A few screams sounded out, then abruptly cut. He tried to inch closer to the door and listened closely.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Credits Theme: Twelve Titans Music - Soulslivers**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Suddenly, with startling volume, his cell's door got pulled back and ripped _ straight out of the hinges._ As his eyes tried to adjust to light, Fiske heard a very gruff, very baritone voice speaking.

"Are you the one they call Monty Fiske? The renegade criminal lord?"

"Yes, I hold that honour, but who are you?"

"Someone who has need of your knowledge, resources ...and can help you in return."

Fiske squinted at the entrance to his cell and saw a massive figure blocking the entrance.

"But what do I call you?"

The figure took a few steps inside and Fiske's eyes grew.

"Human need for names...Very well...You may call me..."

**"Grodd."**

* * *

**AN: I apologize for the various grammar and spelling mistakes on earlier chapters. I will run a full troubleshoot on all of them when I reach a certain point in the story.**

**I would always appreciate more reviews from more readers, so don't be shy. Feel free to flame even. Special thanks to CajunBear73 for reviews and follow up comments to my questions.**

* * *

_**To be Continued in: "The Calling."**_


	5. The Calling

**AN: Here's the deal. I loved Robin Williams probably more than any other famous person in history. That's not just because he was funny, but it was impeccably easy to connect to a man that has been so open with his flaws. When a man like that dies, by suicide no less, you turn and take a good look at yourself. I did some 'looking at myself.' **

** UnStoppable Flash **

**Disclaimer: Kim Possible trademark and all characters belong to Disney.**

**DC Comics and all characters belong to Warner Bros.**

**Chapter 5 : The Calling**

It was a rather crisp, cool November afternoon when Kim and Ron began their walk to the park near the Middleton suburbs. The cold of December was still some way down the road and the calm winds of October still lingered in the air.

Kim was rather shaky after the last night, coupled with the crisp air, she had gone out with a thin sports jacket on her usual ensemble. Ron had offered his arm as they walked, as her right leg was somewhat sore from a low-kick delivered by the guy with claws. Kim noticed how Ron was still only wearing his jersey on top of a thin sweatshirt. He seemed not bothered by the cool air and felt very warm as Kim held his arm while they walked. He was also carrying his backpack.

Ron was extra quiet and Kim was getting worried. She tried to strike up a conversation. "So... Crazy night huh?" She scanned Ron at the edge of her vision to gauge his reaction.

Which was to say, almost none. "Yeah. It was a bit crazy."

"Getting shot by snipers, a man using metallic claws to fight and a woman who seemingly blew up a door by touching it... It was way outside our comfort zone."

"Ben Turner."

"What?"

"Ben Turner was the guy with the claws. Some sort of martial arts expert, mercenary and assassin. He was the only one caught in the lab after we left it."

Kim turned her head to Ron and one of her eyebrows rose. "How do you know that?"

"Mr. Queen showed me the news broadcast while they were dropping me off at home."

"The sniper?"

"He was gone apparently." Ron fell silent after that. Kim didn't push it anymore, he clearly had something in mind, trying to piece his words. Rufus was on his shoulder, looking worried as he gazed upon Ron.

_Maybe this is about that 'other thing' he was gonna tell me when the 'time is right.' But what exactly..._ She thought back on the last few months. Ron had been acting weird. And now that she thought about it, this had started even before the entire disaster with Monty Fiske.

Of course, Kim had picked up on this before this day. Ron, the poster-child of Bueno Nacho not visiting the place sometimes a week at a time? Ron, the very boy who prided himself in mastering all new video games, _not even buying _ the latest Zombie title? List could go on.

There were also his disappearances. Asking to be excused to bathroom at school, disappearing from cafetaria with his food half eaten, blowing off Kim for Friday 'Ron' Nights, at least for a few of them. Kim had suspected drugs and checked his arms and around his eyes for signs of drug usage.

Instead she had found out that Ron was healthier than ever. He was a lot sturdier than before, somewhat ripped even, from what she observed. This entire thing made zero sense to her and it made her crazy. Her control-freak side was going haywire from not knowing.

While she mulled on the evidence, they had reached the park. It was somewhat out of the way, being a park at the edge of the suburbs. Ron directed them to a particular area with thick tree coverage from the road and rest of the park.

"So we're here. Spit it out Ron, you are acting way too mysterious for yourself."

Ron snorted. "Oh, you'd be surprised." He set the backpack down. "Uh...yea...I don't know how to start." Then he snapped his fingers as if an idea hit him. "Oh right! Kim, get Wade on the Kimmunicator, he'll want to be here for the conversation."

"Ron, you know he never goes out of his room."

"Well, not exactly...But that's what I meant, just call him so he can chime in."

Kim shrugged and called Wade. The screen showed the kid genius after a while. "Hi Wade."

"Kim? What's up? You need something checked out?"

Kim glanced at Ron. "Actually, Ron wanted me to call you. He's acting like he's gonna announce that he is gay. That, or he is a superhero." Her short laugh at her own joke fell on the complete silence. She saw Wade sporting a very blank expression. Ron was facepalming with his right hand. "What, Ron is free to joke but not me?"

"Uh, Kim...That's not exactly why..." Wade stopped after that.

Ron lifted his head and seemed to make a decision. "You know what, fudge it. I'm just gonna show you, then you can start screaming." Ron put Rufus in Kim's hands, stepped back and pulled off his jersey and shirt over his head.

Kim was going to protest and ask what he was doing, _until she saw the torso which lay underneath those clothes._ Ron, the skinny, wiry, stereotypical Jewish youth...was apparently long gone. She had seen the arms, naturally, but his torso was another matter entirely. He had defined abs, for God's sake. He was not crazy muscular, but way way above his previous state. She felt her mouth go a bit dry while she watched.

Then she noticed Ron pointing somewhere. She looked at where he pointed. It was his right shoulder and the area around it. Suddenly, it clicked. That was the shoulder he had been shot in the _ previous night! _And it was now smooth, with zero indication that it was shot.

"What the hell?!" She hurriedly took steps towards Ron, while Rufus climbed to her shoulder. She touched and felt around the shoulder and the neck, trying to understand. "You were shot last night! I saw the wound!"

"Don't worry Kim, I saw the wound as well. It was totally gruesome." Ron tried to lighten the mood. Needless to say, it didn't work.

"Wade, what the hell is this?!" Kim picked up the Kimmunicator and showed Ron's shoulder.

"Kim, calm down. It's Ron's healing factor."

"Oh, because that explains everything perfectly! How the hell does he even have a..." Kim looked at Ron as he put on his shirt back on. "The lightning bolt. It started with that."

Ron nodded, while Wade talked. "That, and more. You're gonna do the rest Ron?"

"Yeah." He stepped away from Kim and Rufus. "Stay there."

Kim had a growing dread in her stomach. "What 'more'?" She took a step towards Ron.

Ron didn't even look at her. Instead, he just exploded. Kim saw him blurring and zooming away amongst the trees, and heard a strong wooshing sound with a slight thundering effect. She was also not ready for the backdraft, which hit and floored her on her back.

She raised her head from the ground slightly and saw Ron some _ hundred meters away._ The shock didn't let her feel or think yet. Then Ron turned into a blur again and she momentarily saw the blond streak made by his hair. His return to Kim's side brought a gust of wind which blew her hair away on the ground.

Ron extended his hand and grabbed Kim, raising her to her feet. He smiled apologetically. "I did tell you to stay where you are, or you know..." He pointed to where she was lying just then. "That would happen."

Kim's brain slowly restarted from the shocked state. The gears started turning. _ Ron...Ron.. He just... Just...But he did!... But how?!... Super-speed?!... How could..._

Then the answer to all her questions and worries about Ron has hit her dead-on.

_He's the Flash!_

Ron was waving his hand in front of Kim's face. "Kim. KP? _ Kim Possiblé? _ Oi, Kim, are you still alive?" He snapped his fingers in front of her face as well. Rufus was shaking Kim's shoulder, from where he stood.

Wade's sound chimed through the Kimmunicator that Kim still held. "I think she is in shock Ron."

"Duh. Though I mean, you'd think she would have a few choice sentences at this point."

"Or she is planning on how to beat you to the ground?" Wade was very helpful, oh he was.

Ron involuntarily took three steps back immediately. "You know Wade, I sometimes suspect you have an evil little supervillain hiding somewhere in your brain." Then he got decked in the face by a spinning kick, courtesy of one Kim Possible.

"Ow." He called from the face down lying position he ended up in. Then he sensed more pain heading up his way, so he rolled sideways and avoided a drop kick. He rolled himself into a kneeling position, and then jumped backwards as Kim sweeped where he just was with a rather vicious low kick.

Looking at Kim's face was a mistake. Ron realized that too late. _ Yup, I am going to die today. Brutally beaten into the ground by my best friend... I should've arranged a will or something._ Kim rushed at him with a simply unstoppable onslaught.

Ron used his super speed to avoid all of them, coz Kim looked like she was _ not_ holding back. Then she stopped after another failed punch. Ron realized she was shaking. See, Kim shaking with anger, is certainly not, _not a good sign at all!_

"YOU BRAINLESS IDIOT!"

Ron tried to defuse the situation. "So Kim, let's commence our weekly spar now? You seem sufficiently...uh, motivated?" He had to use full on super speed to avoid the following spinning back kick.

"YOU! SHUT UP!" Kim was breathing heavily with her shoulders hunched. Ron could see her fists squeezed so tight her knuckles were going white.

"Yes, Ma'am." Ron watched in fear as Kim stalked back to where the Kimmunicator dropped, and then picked it.

"WE BOTH KNOW RON'S A BRAIN DEAD, INSENSITIVE IDIOT WITH THE EMOTIONAL RANGE OF A TEASPOON! WHAT'S YOUR EXCUSE WITH GENIUS LEVEL IQ?!"

Wade could see Ron behind Kim in the screen, his mouth miming 'I'm sorry.' "Uh, Kim, calm down please... Before you hurt yourself... or Ron."

Kim's head snapped back to Ron in lightspeed. Then she dripped a voice laced with an immeasurable sweetness. "Why Wade? He does have a healing factor, doesn't he? I'm sure the Mr. IDIOT HERO HERE COULD TAKE IT!" This time, Kim's punch caught Ron in the gut. He doubled over.

He wheezed out. "Kim, it can only heal me if I stay alive long enough."

Kim huffed and took a seat on a nearby bench. Her face was all red from the anger. She turned towards the Kimmunicator in her hand. "All the story, now. ALL THE DETAILS." She turned to Ron who was shivering from fear on the ground. "Get your ass on the bench."

"No more hitting the Red speedster?"

"Oh, there'll be hitting. A lot. But later." Ron sat near Kim on the bench, albeit very slowly and carefully.

Kim turned to Wade. "Well?!"

"See Kim, it's a bit complicated." Ron chimed in.

Kim deadpanned. "Ron gets hit by a dark energy buildup on the particle accelerator accident, gets hit by a lightning then doused in chemical coolants and stabilizers on the accelerator surface, goes into coma, wakes up with superpowers."

"Okay, maybe it's not that complicated." Kim glared at Ron. "I'm shutting up."

Wade's sigh was heard through the device. "Okay, well, you got the short version right. That's about what happened. He later found out, sought out my help, I came up with the suit... Rest is history."

"Then I must have totally missed the part where MY BEST FRIEND and my TRUSTED MISSION COMMAND kept lying to me for the past three months! You two have ferociously phased me out on this deal!"

Kim turned to Ron and held his hand. "I was worried that you were doing drugs! Or steroids. Or worse! Of course, whenever I tried to follow you, you somehow disappeared into thin air, which now makes perfect sense!" Her eyes showed real hurt this time. "Why did you two hid this from me? Doesn't my best friend in the world trust me enough to tell me what happened to him? That he has been risking his life, spending his nights outside, alone with no backup?"

Ron and Wade both fell silent. Ron gathered his courage to speak. "Wade is one hundred percent innocent in this. It was my decision to wait to tell you."

"_Wait _ to tell me? So you were not going to hide this from me however?"

Ron snorted. "Kim, I may not be the genius in this trio-" Rufus squeaked from Kim's shoulder. "Well, these four individuals, but even I knew we couldn't hide this from you. Well, for long at least."

"So why hide at all?"

"I was not ready, okay?" Ron's face fell. "I was scared."

"Of what?! What is so scary about me that you had to hide this?!"

Ron mumbled something. Kim didn't hear it. Wade sighed. "Kim, I...uh... I'll call you two later after you guys are done working this out." The boy genius didn't even let Kim answer as the connection was cut instantly.

_Traitorous coward. _Ron thought as Kim turned towards him. Her eyes demanded answers. "Okay... I was worried that you'd think that I cheated."

Kim was perplexed. "Cheated. On what?"

"Cheated my way into the football squad?"

Kim's fingers snapped. "Ohhh...Yea, that makes more sense... Well, did you?"

"No!...Well...I didn't know I had powers back that day but...See, time slows down when I use the speed, and it didn't slow for me back then so I think not...But I'm not, you know, totally super sure so...yea..." Ron's rambling ended.

Kim squeezed his hand. "Ron, if you say you didn't, that's good enough for me. But really, seriously, this can't be the whole deal. Why didn't you tell me right away?"

Ron looked directly forwards, not looking into her eyes. "After Wade and I talked about this... I think I realized this was not something you'd like."

"Ron, you are not making any sense."

"Look, you never liked the heroes with the masks and all... Hell, I still remember you going all 'Now that's a real hero with nothing to hide!' when Wonder Lady first showed up in D.C. last year."

"Wonder Woman."

"Wha?"

"Her name is Wonder Woman."

"What did I say?... Anyway... Wade had these... alerts and stuff. You know, city-wide superhero type gigs. Not like a 'let's catch a ride there and solve the problem' gig. Plus, I wanted to... get used to the idea myself... Hence, this whole 'hiding from you' thing."

Kim shook her head. "This all sounds like you didn't trust me."

Ron mumbled. "Oh I did trust you all right...All your Kim-ness."

"What was that?!" Kim had heard that. "What do you mean my Kim-ness?!"

Ron finally let loose what he thought. "So you weren't going to go all protective, want to come along for the gigs and the patrolling, criticize the way I handle things and try to do it all yourself again?"

"Of course not!"

Ron started reciting from memory. "_ Rude and showboating. Wise-ass too. _ Your exact words, regarding the Flash. "

"Okay, so maaaybe I would've... weighed in a few opinions about the events, but seriously Ron."

"You remember the whole Bueno Nacho and the invention of the Naco deal? How you completely went off the handle when I excelled?"

"Well, you yourself were getting a big head, as usual."

Ron sighed. "Well, maybe I'm not clean on that account either, but I haven't lost my head about this one. Kim, last time I failed, a particle accelerator blew up and killed people. Injured more. I realized I couldn't be the same idiot I have been these last years. And started to work on it. I'm not the same as before."

"Ron, aren't we in this together? Best friends, partners in crime fighting?"

Words came out of Ron's mouth without Ron himself registering them. "I had to prove that I was _ something, anything _ without you in the picture!" A small ripple in the air went out from Ron, and Kim saw red tendrils of lightning shooting up in his eyes.

A very uneasy calm fell on the thicket. "Oh Ron..." Kim's voice came out broken.

Ron's brain finally registered what he said in its full implication. "Kim...I-I...I...didn't mean it like that."

Kim was not looking at Ron anymore. "What the hell did you mean then? Is being my friend so hard, or a bad thing?"

Ron had not realized what he himself was thinking up until now. " Damn it Kim, damn it! This is not about glory for me! I don't ask for a reward, or fame. "

"But your time as simply Ron Stoppable seems to have left you wanting for just that!"

Ron's right fist pounded on the bench. "I have no problems being 'just' Ron Stoppable! I have no problems being _'the buffoon' _ or _'the skinny sidekick whose name escapes us!' _ I have no problems being your best friend and staying overshadowed forever!"

Kim's anger was rising as well. "What do you have problems with then?! What possible reason pushed you to exclude me out of your life so you could play hero at night?!"

" _PLAY _ HERO?! I only wanted to help people out, save them from situations _you could not! _ For once in my life, I needed to know, to see for myself that I could be your equal! Fuck everyone else, just myself!"

Kim's mouth fell open as Ron's tirade continued. "And you know what, I may not be the ideal hero. I may be joking around to mask my fears. I may get shot even with the super speed, or I may get caught unaware even with these powers. I may not be the 'girl who can do anything.' But sure as hell, I can save people! I can help those in need, one at a time if need be, at the expense of my own time, sweat or blood."

He opened the backpack that was in between them and showed the dark red suit. "When Wade first showed me this, it was not that a big deal for me. I thought I could zip it on, run around a bit, do something heroic, call it a day and do what I exactly used to do before."

"It all changed when I pulled a bank teller out of a bullet's path. Or the time where I pulled an entire family out of a fire. It's not about the less-than-ideal Ron Stoppable inside that goddamned suit anymore. It's about the Flash, and what he represents to those he saved, or inspired."

Kim stood there, half mortified half amazed by Ron's conviction and passion. The Ron she knew wouldn't be able to keep a secret like this from her. The Ron she knew was a chronically lazy but brilliant guy who valued his downtime. The Ron she knew...

_Protected only her, and never had shown much interest in general heroism._

But this very Ron had come to her for help. She had spent more time with him lately, than just hanging out. In fact, if they didn't study together, they ran combat training together. They worked on his Monkey Kung Fu. They had also went to a number of missions. In contrast, they had not just hung out normally together since...Since... _Since last month._

Kim suddenly became aware that while Ron had not made the best decision by keeping her in the dark, he had good reasons to do so. He never cared about what other people thought of himself, that was true. But it had never occurred to Kim that Ron didn't see himself in the best of condition.

She placed her hand back on Ron's. "Ron... I... understand...Okay? I get it... Some of it."

Ron seemed spent after his heated monologue. His head fell forward. Kim felt herself spent. "Just...give me some time to let it all sink in."

She needed to take this all in, somehow reconcile the Ron she is used to this new, improved Ron. She started to state his, but Ron's watch beeped twice. Ron visibly tensed as she watched. Ron touched the watch and read a message on its screen.

"We will have to... finish this later anyway. Car accident at Upperton, someone needs immediate evac to hospital." As Kim watched, Ron went into superspeed and changed into the suit in seconds. "I'll get Rufus from you later in the evening. Could you get him a Naco? I'll pay for it later."

Then Ron blasted off, leaving a trail of yellow lightning and red streak behind himself.

Kim looked at his bag and then Rufus. The clever pet seemed to understand Kim's troubles and rubbed her cheek. "Oh Rufus, what is this that we have gotten ourselves into?"

* * *

Kim took her books from her locker, contemplating opening a channel to Wade. But what she wanted to discuss could not have been spoken in school amongst so many eavesdroppers. Instead, she got her books and closed the locker.

Behind the locker, she found Tara standing while holding a book. Which she recognized as an Animology book. The latest craze of teen world. Thank God she had stayed away from it.

Tara squirmed as Kim looked at her with a questioning gaze. "Something I can help you with Tara? Does Bonnie want something for practice again?"

"Uh, no... I, uh...wanted to ask you something." She got closer to Kim a bit and lowered her voice. "About Ron."

Kim's gaze first turned into a frown as Ron's name was uttered. He had come in late in the morning, telling the teacher that his scooter had broken down. Kim however had checked the news and saw the report of Flash saving a morning jogger who had fallen and rolled down a cliff. Then, as she saw what state Tara was in, she slowly grinned.

"Hmm, what about him?"

"Uh...I wondered if you knew what was his...animology identity?"

Kim snorted. "Tara, I didn't bother doing the stupid test, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't even know about the new fad. He is fairly busy nowadays. Though.." She pointed to the book Tara was holding. "Why do you even wanna know his sign, or whatever?"

Tara mumbled with a red face. "I was going to use it to strike up a conversation."

"By all means, use any opening line. It's not like Ron can't strike up a conversation about almost anything." She got her right arm over Tara's shoulders and pulled the smaller girl towards herself, whispering conspiratorally. "I can help you, if you tell me what's really on your mind."

Tara seemed very surprised. "Really? I mean..."

"What, he is my best friend so I'm entitled to set him up if I see fit, can't I?"

Tara shook her head as they walked towards their class. "It's just that...Oh forget it, not important...So... I was actually going to ask him if he had plans for the Winter Formal. Since you..uh... Will you go with Josh Mankey again?"

Kim flustered immediately. "Uh...Not that I've asked... But we went on a few dates since the last dance.. So...Probably?...That's not important anyway, I think I can get Ron to dress up for you."

"Seriously? He doesn't have a date already?"

"Tara, this is Ron we are talking about. I know he didn't ask anyone and I don't think anyone would ask him."

Tara seemed taken aback by Kim's statement. "Kim, you do realize he became the star of football team right? He'd have at least twenty different people asking him if it wasn't for...uh..."

"What?"

"For...you. I mean, you kinda scare away other girls off of him."

Kim deadpanned. "What."

"You two are these teen hero badasses, and almost always inseperable. If I didn't get to know you from cheer squad, I would've been thinking the same."

"Same what?!" Kim's calm exterior broke down a little.

Tara tried to placate her, but Kim was insistent. "Well...People either think you are dating, and those that know that you two don't think you are like his overprotective mother..."

"Well damn, so _ I'm _ the reason he is not getting any dates? Talk about irony." Kim shook her head slowly as they approached the classroom. "Anyways, let me work on him, then you can coerce him into taking you to the dance."

Tara seemed very happy and squeezed Kim's hand to show it. "Thank you!" She held the book out for Kim. "You wanna take a look? I'm not really interested in knowing the animal sign itself."

_Oh well, I'll see what the new fad is about. It'll at least be fun._

* * *

Kim took a seat near Ron's at lunch in cafetaria. He greeted her with a warm "KP."

"Hello Ron. Busy morning?"

"Yea the scooter... Oh wait."

Kim smiled. "You don't need to lie anymore, remember?"

Ron seemed distressed. "Kim, we never did finish that conversation."

"We can finish it later. Can't talk in school anyway." She smiled again. "Besides, we knew you were a hero already, you just added a-" Her voice dropped low. "Super to it." She leaned back and took a book out of her pack.

Ron looked up from his food and checked what book it was. "Animology, really Kim?"

"Wait, you know Animology? I thought you'd be all over it if you knew."

"I was all over it, for about three minutes in the recess earlier."

"Three minutes, how did you even finis-Never mind." Kim saw the glint in his eyes which basically told her that Ron had abused his power to finish the stupid test lightning fast. "So, what are you?"

"Something called a Pink Panda. Panda, for God's sake. I dropped the book then and there." Rufus raised his head from Ron's pocket and made a vomit sound as Ron uttered the word panda.

"I thought you'd be happy with a panda. Cute, cuddly, likes to eat, a lot."

"I don't do cute and cuddly woman. I'm cool and mysterious. Also an endangered species is not the _best _ indication for one's love life. No thanks."

The table next to them had Bonnie calling for Amelia. As Kim and Ron watched, Amelia blew Bonnie off, saying that they would have major conflict due to their animology signs.

Ron grinned at Bonnie who seemed to be hyper-ventilating. He grabbed his tray and stood up. "Well, at least they figured that one out. See ya in class Kim."

* * *

The following day was a weird one for Kim. Since she had taken the test during the night, she had found out that she was a 'Blue Fox.' The analysis of her personality was spot on, and it had told her that her soul mate was a Yellow Trout.

And now she was responding to any sentence with 'yellow' in it. She grumbled as she opened her locker.

Ron leaned on the locker next to hers and grinned smugly. "Taken the test, haven't you?"

"Maybe I did, but I don't care what it says."

"Uh-huh. Right. The stuff is so bogus anyway. Pink Panda my ass."

Kim's locker computer sprang to life and Wade showed on the screen. "Kim, I have that info you wanted."

Kim saw Ron still grumbling at all pandas worldwide, and got flustered as she knew what the requested 'info' was. "O-oh, no big, just give it to me later."

"But you said it was the highest priority. Utmost rush?"

"Whenever's fine Wade."

Ron interjected. "Well, go ahead and give the info Wade. Important news will be a welcome break from this Animology garbage."

Wade started reading from another screen he had open. "Okay, I checked all school databases, but there is no way to tell who is a yellow trout." Wade closed the connection and screen faded. Kim slowly turned to Ron.

Who was promptly rolling his eyes. " You don't care what it says huh? You set up a ten year old super genius to find yourself a soulmate."

Kim smiled apologetically. " I am a blue fox, I can't resist a challenge."

Ron just glared, rolled his eyes again and walked off to class.

* * *

Ron felt like crying, big time. Rufus was also somber in his pocket. They were at Pop Pop Porter's factory, and the enormity of the heinous heist was wearing down on him. To think, no more Mini corn dogs, flash frozen to perfection. He and Wade were devastated.

Someone had stolen the flash freezer Cryovator in the factory, and now, corn dogs were history. He barely held down a sniffle.

Kim was investigating the site of the crime. Pop Pop Porter asked Ron. "You feeling alright son?"

"It's too heinous for words. I just love your product!"

Meanwhile, Kim smelled something. "You smell that?" She sniffed around. "It smells so.. familiar." She pulled out the Kimmunicator. "Wade, I need an air quality analysis."

"Activating olfactory sensors." Kimmunicator's screen shifted and went into analysis mode.

Pop Pop gestured towards the corndogs left on the production line. "A real shame is all these little doggies going to waste. Unless somebody eats 'em. And soon."

Ron suddenly perked up. He looked at all the little corn dogs. _ Grab on to your seats ladies and gentlemen. We are now landing in hypermetabolic speedster heaven._ Worth noting here is that Ron basically equating the Speed Force he has not even heard about...To copious amounts of free corn dogs he could eat.

Ron and Rufus had cleared out the whole line in under five minutes while Wade ran analysis on the air quality. Kim watched them with mirth and no small amount of disgust.

Finally, Wade read out the analysis. "That smell? Cologne. Very expensive. Custom blended for an exclusive clientele. Guess who is on the list?"

Kim and Ron answered at the same time. "Señor Senior, Jr."

Wade's joy evaporated. "Right...You guys are no fun."

* * *

Kim and Ron landed near the walls of Señor Mansion on their island. "You know, I still hold my position that we can find them whenever we want, is taking all the fun out of this."

"At least we don't have to scale a different Alpine mountain each time." Kim looked at Ron.

"What?"

Kim pointed to the wall. "Get us over."

Ron blanched. "Kim, I can't fly, you know that right?"

Kim rolled her eyes. "I've seen you run along the side of a building while you were Flash. You can surely get us over the wall."

Ron snapped his fingers. "Right! Damn, still thinking like no-powers Ron when we are on a mission." Suddenly, he grabbed Kim bridal style. "I'd hold on. I don't usually carry people, and this is gonna be the first time I scale a vertical surface while carrying someone."

Kim wrapped her arms around Ron's torso. And then Ron took off towards the wall. Kim's entire body tingled with a very unfamiliar sensation. The next moment, they had jumped over the barbed wire and Kim felt wind whipping her hair around. They were well above the height of all the buildings.

Then their descent started towards the roof of the main compound. Kim thought they were going to crash, but Ron hit the roof running and slid on it as they braked. He let Kim go and dusted his pants.

Kim whistled as she checked the distance they had covered in the air. "Well, my own personal superpowered infiltrator. You sure will come in handy Ron."

"Remember, I work by the hour Kim."

"What, you gonna charge me?"

"Helloo, hyper metabolism. This epitome of speed personified needs the food woman."

"Chimmerito when we get back." Kim pulled out her grappling rope from the belt.

"You are like the best boss ever." They found a hatch and opened the grate. After scaling the air ducts, they descended into the main compound's atrium.

Kim pointed to the middle of the room. "Ron look, the Cryovator." They jumped down to get to it.

Then Kim sniffed the cologne from earlier. "The cologne." Ron suddenly yelped and pushed Kim away. She heard something impact behind her. She recovered and looked back.

A six-legged half dome robot was attacking them. Yep, the Seniors had too much money for their own good. They tried to make a run for it, but two cords shot out from the robot and tried to wrap around them.

Kim didn't have time to react to the fast moving cords, but Ron had more than enough. He executed a runningback half-slide while running, effectively evading the cord. Then he grabbed Kim as the other cord was still wrapping itself around her. He pulled her to the ground with him and rolled away. The cords kept launching themselves at teen heroes.

Kim had an idea. "Ron, keep 'em busy." Ron did a little salute as he evaded another lunge. As Kim jumped away, Ron stayed behind to keep both the cords' and the robot's attention. He weaved and bobbed, jumped and spun to avoid all the incoming blows.

Meanwhile, Kim had climbed to the upper balcony in the atrium and finally saw the Seniors watching Ron and the robot. Senior was holding a remote, presumably to the robot. She sneaked behind them and jumped at Senior.

The incoming blows from the robot suddenly ceased. Ron turned to look towards a screaming Junior. Kim was holding a remote, and Senior was attempting to grab it. "Ron, catch!" Kim threw the remote and jumped down the balcony.

It was a rather simple affair for Ron to catch it, as Kim had impeccable aim. While he was catching it though, he pressed one of the buttons. Suddenly, a hole in the ground opened and revealed a bigger Cryovator than Pop Pop's.

Everyone stopped and looked at it. "Well, this one kinda disproves my theory on how Señor Senior Sr. wanted to steal and destroy all Mini Corn Dogs." Ron remarked.

Kim shot him a look. "I told you so."

"You Blue Foxes think that you know everything."

Junior perked up at this. "You study the Animology?!"

His father wasn't happy with that comment. "Oh please Junior, do not start!" He turned to the teens. "The time has come to prove my villanous mettle. First I'll capture and flash freeze you. Next, I'll freeze the billionaire's club from which I was so rudely ejected."

Ron's eyebrows rose. "You are doing all this just to tweak some rich guy? Couldn't you have launched an elaborate plot to undermine their wealth, have Junior impregnate one of their daughters and marry an entirely different one? Then after ten seasons of intrigue and drama, you'd be dying from an undiagnosed cancer and Junior would be raising his illegitimate son and daughter by himself?"

All three occupants of the atrium just looked at him blankly. "What, I used to watch a lot of Brazilian soap operas."

Señor Senior, Sr. pulled out another remote from his elegant jacket. "Looks like I will need more of an edge to capture you two." Suddenly, three more of the robot they had just deactivated showed up. Kim got immediately snatched, while Ron evaded all blows raining down upon him.

He was basically unable to help Kim or himself, so he let himself get captured. By Señor Senior, Sr.'s whacked out villain code, they'd have more than enough time to escape anyway.

The robots placed them on a production line with the smaller Cryovator at the end of it. Senior put his hand on his heart and lamented theatrically. "I will miss our fearsome rivalry, Kim Possible. And you too young man, just as you were getting to be an enjoyable foe as well." He pressed the red button on a console nearby.

The production line started to move 'em slowly to the activated Cryovator. Senior waved to his son. "Come Junior."

Junior was very busy with the Animology book, however. "Junior!" His father bellowed. Junior hurried after his father after closing the book.

"Father! I am the yellow trout!"

Kim was horrified beyond words. "Noooo." Señor Seniors disappeared beyond an automatic door. "Junior's a yellow trout?! Gross!"

Ron was snickering from his own strapped position. "Says the girl who had a super genius deduct yellow trouts so she could go after her 'soulmate.' Oh well, I am sure you two will be very happy together. And for your information, I want the Maid of Honor position at the wedding." Kim tried to interject, but Ron didn't let her. "Now I know that's a female thing, but Ron Stoppable holds many talents, and wedding planning is one of them!"

"Ron! Back to the now please!" Kim nodded towards the incoming flash freezer.

Ron looked confused. "Now? Oh right, our impending doom." He looked very calm for a guy being moved towards instant freezing. As Kim watched, he grit his teeth and started moving his right arm as much as the metal straps allowed him. His arm vibrated at super speeds, and then Ron ripped out the bindings in one move. He did the same with his left arm, then unlocked the ones on his legs.

After casually walking and deactivating the line, he helped Kim get out of the straps. Kim looked at his chafed wrists. "I didn't know you could do super strength."

Ron shrugged. "Not really. Wade called it, what was it, 'explosive simulated super strength.' Basically, I move at super speeds, and apply the speed on a physical object in one explosive move. Momentum translates into energy, and an exponentially increased version of my own natural muscle power is generated."

"So the faster you are, the more powerful your hits are?" They heard a helicopter roaring to life outside. It was already taking off, apparently.

"Something like that. It also hurts less as long as I break or move whatever I'm hitting. Neat trick I found out while fighting my clones."

Kim snapped her fingers as she remembered last week. "Right, there were three of your clones that day, but I never saw them in the diner when I destroyed all the other clones."

"They had superspeed and chased me into the treeline nearby. Had to beat 'em enough to make 'em disintegrate." He rubbed his fists while remembering the incident. "Not the best of way to get acquainted with one's own clones. Basically, I kept pounding them in super speed until they gave out."

Kim pointed to his wrists. "Those look badly chafed. You okay?"

"It's gonna heal in an hour or so. No big."

They walked outside to see the villainous father-son duo haul the bigger Cryovator with a helicopter, away into horizon.

Ron pulled out two mini corn dogs from his pocket. Held one out for Rufus who had just climbed to his shoulder, and ate the other one. "Now we have to chase them, ugh, and I'm about to run out on corn dogs."

Kim pulled his arm and walked to the Seniors' dock near the mansion. "We need to find something that will get us to the Billionaire's Club."

Ron smiled. "That will be unnecessary."

Kim glared at him. "Ron we gotta go after 'em."

"Oh I get that part. I meant about transportation." He knelt and presented his back to Kim. "Hop on."

Kim's eyes grew. "You can walk on water?" She climbed up on his back and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Ron activated his watch. "Not walk, just run on it. Kinda like a skipping stone, if you are fast enough, tensile strength allows you to use it as solid surface."

"Wade told you that, I'm guessing?"

Ron blushed. "Well..Yes... He also first theorized I could do it and had me try. Anyways." He turned to the watch and activated the call function. "Wade, get me directions to the Billionaire's Club."

Wade looked from the watch and saw Kim's face just on Ron's shoulder. "It's fairly close, closer to French shore on Bay of Biscay, half an hour of helicopter ride."

"So it's like four, five minutes for me. No problem."

"Ron are you sure you can carry Kim along?"

"I carried you along to the airfield. And believe me, you are a lot heavier." Wade grumbled and gave him directions.

"I'll take a look on that giant Cryovator specs. Should have some info by the time you are there." Then promptly shut off connection.

Ron grabbed Kim's legs. "Hold on. And don't turn your neck too much, danger of whiplash." Then he blasted off towards their destination. Kim felt the tingly sensation again, only this time it continued more than a second.

* * *

Ron arrived at the island, but circled around and found a nice beach a short ways from the club. It was shielded by a hill of rocks, and their arrival would not be seen by the billionaire's lounging around.

After he stopped, he knelt down so Kim could get off easily. She did it slowly, and Ron realized she was shaking a little. He turned to her. "Uh, Kim, are you okay? You felt like you were shaking."

On the other hand, Kim was giddy and exhilarated. "Ron, that was amazing! The speed, that tingling feeling! The rush of the air!"

"Well, your mood is fine, I take it?"

"Yes. Do you feel like that every time you run?"

"Actually, that tingling sensation is my body vibrating, and I got used to it. I only feel it whenever I push myself to my limits. It is a cool thing though."

They walked around the beach and approached the club on foot. "Looks like we arrived early."

Ron pointed towards the horizon. "We overtook Seniors' helicopter about three minutes ago. Which means it's gonna take 'em another twenty to get here." He walked upto a table and picked off a french fry of a club member's tray. "You think I can get some food from the owners? I'm a bit peckish after that run."

Kim shushed him and dragged him along towards the club's main hall. They were intercepted by a stocky man in shorts and a beach shirt. "Who are you two young'uns? Don't cha know tis' a private club here?"

Ron pointed behind him. "In about fifteen to twenty minutes, it's gonna be a private frozen club."

"What?"

Kim sighed and squeezed Ron's shoulder to shut him up. "He means that Seniors are coming here with a flash freezer and you all should better go away."

"Seniors? We kicked out that sorry excuse of a billionaire from our club, he knows he can't come back 'ere."

"I don't think he cares. Freezer, you all, popsicled?"

That one seemed to go through the man's head. He ran and alerted everyone, at which point, all the billionaires in the club grounds panicked and ran away with their various vehicles.

Except one. A tall, dark and incredibly handsome man with black hair and blue eyes walked upto them. He was sporting black dress pants and a short-sleeved black buttoned shirt. It was easy to tell that this man was vastly different than all the others who were running away.

"Excuse me, but aren't you two the teen heroes? Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable?" He had deep, silky smooth voice with a suave undertone in it.

Ron gushed. "Kim, he knows my name! My reputation finally preceded me to at least one person!"

Kim elbowed Ron in the ribs. Then turned to the man. "Ah, that we are sir, but it'd be best if you escape this place as well. We can't really protect you Mr...uh?"

The man smiled and Ron thought if he was a bit younger, Kim would be a gushing, crushing sheep in seconds. _This man had all the moves. _ "Bruce Wayne, at your service."

Kim's eyes grew. "Oh wow." She shook her head slightly. "Anyway, you'd better escape."

The man smiled again and waved his hand dismissively. "Nonsense. I heard you two were going to stop Seniors? I must say, I quite enjoy the antics of those two. I will just be here, finishing my drink while waiting for my ride."

"Your ride? You didn't arrive here on your own?"

"Oh I did, but my butler will bring around the float plane in about half an hour. And since I have nothing better to do, why not watch two young people making the world a bit safer, answering the calling of heroism?"

"Sir, no offense, but this isn't a game."

"Young lady, I live in Gotham. Señor Senior, Sr. is like a cozy grandfather compared to what we see in Gotham every day." With that, he walked to a bench with an umbrella over it and sat down, visibly relaxed and calm.

Ron immediately followed him and grabbed a smoothie that was left on the table. "Sooo. Mr. Wayne. Bruce, can I call you Bruce? Yea, anyway. How do you really know my name, like not even the people we help usually remembers my name."

Wayne sipped his drink. He had a charming smile on his face. "Oh, that's their fault now, isn't it? I've known both of you ever since you helped Professor Acari with his stolen technology."

"The bug professor? You know him?" Ron imitated the man, sipping the smoothie exactly as he had sipped his drink. Of course, a smoothie acts much differently than a standard alcoholic beverage, so Ron spilled some on his shirt.

"WayneTech funds a number of scientists like him worldwide. His nanotech expertise is second to none." Bruce Wayne expertly ignored Ron's blunder.

Kim, meanwhile, turned on the Kimmunicator and called Wade. "Wade, tell me you found some way to stop that 'Cryovator'?"

"It looks like it's solar powered from the schematics in Seniors' lair. I can't shut it down remotely."

"So?"

Wade smiled innocently. "Destroy it, maybe?"

Kim sighed. "We'll think of something. If I can get Ron to stop fanboying on Bruce Wayne."

Wade screamed. "You got Bruce Wayne over there?! Oh my god!"

"You too?"

"Kim, I went to college on a Wayne Enterprises scholarship. He's like the coolest billionaire ever. Spends a lot of what he earns in charities and Gotham City improvement projects."

Kim glanced at where Ron and Wayne were sitting. "Seems like an average billionaire playboy to me."

Wade scoffed at Kim's comment. "That man is one of the most wealthiest and powerful men in the world. Don't let his attitude fool you, he has been on the business end on more than a few hostile takeovers."

Meanwhile, Ron was drinking the smoothie the normal way. "So, this doesn't seem like your scene. I think I keep seeing you with a different supermodel on your arm every time I flip on TMZ."

Wayne laughed with mirth. "I had some business to conduct in France, and this is a good place to catch some people for business. But you are correct. It is a bit too ostentatious for my tastes."

Kim heard a faint copter sound and saw Seniors approaching in the air. "Ron, show time."

Ron gave a two finger salute to the handsome billionaire. "Catch you later after the show dude. Ron-Man has ass kicking to commence."

Kim and Ron took position behind some rocks near the club entrance. "How are we playing it?" Ron asked as they watched the helicopter hauled the giant Cryovator mounted on a four-legged stand.

"Wade said only way to stop it is to destroy it. Solar powered and all."

"I'm just gonna put it out there, how are we even gonna get to it? Senior is mounting it on top of the whole damn place."

Kim seemed contemplative as they watched the four metallic feets of the stand getting planted on the sand around the clubhouse. "You think we could dislodge one of those?"

"With what, I'm a little short on plastic explosives here."

Kim looked at the helicopter itself. It looked like it had laser rays mounted on. She got an idea and explained it to Ron.

They both ran out in opposite directions, heading straight for the metallic stands. Meanwhile, Senior had started the Cryovator and was freezing the clubhouse. He suddenly irked up as something hit the glass of the helicopter. He looked down to see Kim Possible throwing another rock at them.

"Well, our young enemy is not as clever as I originally thought. She is trying to take down our helicopter with stones." He aimed the laser ray at her and fired.

To no one's surprise, Kim evaded it. The ray cut through the metal stand behind her, effectively dislodging that feet. The Cryovator tipped and crashed onto the roof of the main clubhouse. It seemed still functioning though.

_What will you do now, I wonder?_ Wayne seemed perfectly fine from where he was sitting. He watched as Ron doubled back and ran behind the clubhouse. _Cutting visibility from everyone else. Not bad._

He saw Ron climbing on top of the Cryovator a few seconds later. He couldn't see well in the distance, but Ron straight up punched into the Cryovator's generator chamber and pulled wires and a few important looking parts. Cryovator went out with a last fizzle and stopped freezing the building.

In reality, Ron had run up the wall on the back side of the compound, got to the Cryovator, vibrated his arm at super speed to punch through the metal plating of the giant device.

Up in the helicopter, Senior was shocked how easily his plan was foiled. Then he saw Kim Possible out in the open. He lowered the missiles on the aircraft. "Farewell Kim Possible! It's been, as you say, a blast!"

Missiles locked onto Kim and Senior went for the trigger device. Junior, however, had been playing Ron's comment about Blue Foxes in his head, and realized Kim was one. He screamed and jumped for the controls of the helicopter.

As the father and son struggled, the helicopter shook in the air and missile lock was broken. Then both missiles fired towards the roof.

Where Ron was still standing.

_Well shit. _ _That's gonna hurt unless I think of..._

_Oh no. I couldn't... Or could I?_

He jumped from the top of the ruined Cryovator onto the roof, cutting his visibility from everyone else. He went into superspeed as soon as he landed and turned to see where the rockets were headed.

The closer one headed straight for the Cryovator and blew it up. The trailing one speared through the growing smoke and headed straight for Ron. He didn't even think as he ran at it and run past both the missile and the rapidly expanding ball of fire and smoke from the first one.

He jumped when he came at the edge, but did it after he braked, so he wouldn't jump forwards all the way to the beach nearby. Just as he jumped off the roof, the other missile exploded and a rush of heat went over Ron's head as he descended on the roof of the entrance hall. He landed and rolled on the ground. Then he saw some debris flying down on himself, so he jumped down off from that lower roof as well.

As he landed, he saw Wayne clapping for his performance. Kim, on the other hand, ran upto the stairs and approached him. "Ron! Are you okay?"

"Just a somewhat high fall. I'm okay." They both turned to the helicopter which was now steady.

Suddenly, Junior's voice blasted through the loudspeakers on the aircraft. "Kim Possible! You are the blue fox! I am the yellow trout! We are meant to be! We are...soulmates!" Then the voice was cut off as Senior took the speaker from his son's hands. Then the helicopter went off back towards their own island.

Ron and Kim just stared after it. "Wow. I think my blue foxing just saved us."

"I had to evade two air to surface missiles, but who is counting really?" Ron commented with obvious sarcasm. "I think this fills today's weird quota."

Bruce Wayne walked down the stairs and shook both their hands. "Excellent performance, I must say. I quite enjoyed the show." A float plane landed on the ocean near the beach. "This is my ride. I'm quite late for my next appointment so I have to leave in a hurry. Could I offer you a ride inland?

Ron jumped at the chance and was about to accept the offer, but Kim snapped her hand on Ron's mouth and shook her head. "No thanks Mr. Wayne, but we have our own arrangements."

Wayne seemed contemplative. "If you say so." He pulled a business card out of his shirt pocket. "This is my personal number. If you two find yourselves in Gotham and in need of assistance, feel free to call." He nodded to them and boarded a speedboat that he drove to his float plane.

Kim gave the card to Ron. "You keep it." Ron shrugged and took the card, stuffing it in his pocket.

"So Kim, you said we had other arrangements? Our ride back is to meet us in France, at least I thought Wade said that."

Kim grinned and took Ron's arm. "See, I thought we could take a faster way back to Middleton."

Ron didn't get it at first, but then understood. His eyes grew. "Kim, I can't carry you across the goddamned Atlantic on my back... At least, I don't think I can."

"Have you ever tried?"

"Well, no, but I mean..."

"Were you even least bit tired when you ran across here from Seniors' island?"

"That was a five minute run. We are talking about a...How wide is Atlantic anyway?"

"More or less 2000 miles."

"Then halfway across the country to Colorado."

Kim nodded and smiled beamingly. "Yup. Think of it as training Ron, it'll be beneficial for you in the long run."

"Long run, nice pun there Kim... Anyways...My top speed was around 950 mph when Wade last clocked it...Hmm." Ron looked around. Then he pointed towards the emptied tables. "Get the most unhealthy looking food with most calories packed into my backpack, might need to recharge when we reach Eastern Seaboard."

He quickly downed a tray of hamburgers he found on a table while Kim gathered more. Kim wore the backpack and Ron handed her Rufus. "Keep him tightly sealed in your pocket, or he'll fly off while I'm running."

Kim climbed on Ron's back again. This time, she wrapped her legs around Ron. "Your arms might get tired of holding me and it would slow you down anyway."

"Good thinking." He looked towards in the general direction of North America. "Here goes nothing."

Ron blasted off, and climbed his speed until he went hypersonic. Kim suddenly felt as if all sound was toned down and muffled. Then she put her head on Ron's back and enjoyed the ride.

* * *

"Sir, did you get what you wanted from today's incursion?" An old British fellow poured tea into Bruce Wayne's cup. They were flying back to America on his private jet.

"You could say that Alfred." His voice was much more gruff than when he was speaking to the teens.

"Pardon me sir, but I thought you already knew who this boy was."

"That I did. What I didn't know was what kind of a person he was. And that friend of his." Wayne's face was serious and held none of the softness from before.

"Well, now that we have crossed the pond, twice I might add, to sate your curiosity, what do you think?"

Wayne looked outside the window on the jet. "I think I need to keep a close eye on those two."

* * *

Ron collapsed on the ground in the treeline close by to the Bueno Nacho in Middleton. Kim jumped off his back as soon as he stopped.

"Okay...Let's not do that again...For a while." He was wheezing on the ground. "I'm so hungry."

"You wolfed down everything I packed back when we stopped in New York."

Ron didn't even raise himself from the ground. "Kim, we are a hundred meters off of Bueno Nacho, I got you home like at least five hours earlier than normal. You owe me a Grande Sized Naco, at least."

Kim smiled at him and picked him off the ground. Rufus had already shown his face from Kim's pocket, as soon as the words 'Grande Size' were uttered. Ron stood up, his legs slightly shaking. Then he saw Kim's hair and laughed.

"What?"

"You didn't take into account what hypersonic speeds would do to your hair, did ya?"

Kim looked at her hair and was mortified to find out that it was tangled in ways unimaginable, along with the dried seawater that had splashed on them a few times. "This is gonna take at least two showers."

"Well maybe next time, you'll appreciate going commercial."

Kim pushed him towards Bueno Nacho. "But why? Ron-Ferry is faster and provides excellent in-transit scenics."

Ron grumbled. "Seriously, I ferry her across an ocean and she pays back with only a Grande Size. I'm at least fifty times cheaper than commercial airlines."

"Stop grumbling, I'll get you two Grande Sized Nacos."

"Now you are talking business."

* * *

Ron saw Kim with a rose tucked in her hair next day at the lunch. He grinned. "Junior takes that Yellow Trouting seriously I see."

"A locker full of roses, check. An e-card with over the top dramatics, check. So yellow trout."

"Well, I'm really glad that this whole thing will blow over soon. Ron Stoppable is no Pink Panda!"

A gasp behind him was heard. Both Kim and Ron turned back and saw Bonnie backing away from Ron, mortified. "Noooo!" She ran out of the cafetaria screaming.

Kim turned to Tara who stood up. "Lavender Mouse?"

Tara nodded. "Lavender Mouse." She waved at Ron and walked after Bonnie.

Ron waved back and then turned to Kim. "What's with a Lavender Mouse?"

"It's soulmate is supposed to be Pink Panda." Ron shivered promptly.

"Okay, since we both seem to have hit the jackpot on the soulmate lottery, let's never ever talk about Animology ever again, shall we?"

"Agreed." Kim looked at Tara who exited the cafetaria and remembered their talk from earlier. _ Now is a good time as any._

"You know Ron, Winter Formal is gonna come up soon."

Ron nodded. "That it will. Mankey didn't ask you yet?"

Kim shook her head. "Not yet. Though, I'll just ask him tomorrow if he doesn't."

"Good for you KP, not to get stuck on society's assignment of gender roles." At Kim's blank look at his face, he shrunk back. "What, the in flight magazine was the only thing to read on our way to France."

Kim shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Anyway.. Forget about me. Did you ask anyone yet?"

Ron threw her a look. "Kim, I'm not going."

"What, why?"

"I really only went to those dances as your friend. When you got a date yourself, not much point in it, isn't it?"

Kim glared at him. "Ron, you do know you became a football star right?"

"Uh, I wouldn't call it star, but I did get a spot on the team, yes. So?"

"Meaning that you won't have any problems getting a date for the dance."

Ron sighed. "Kim, I don't really have anyone I fancy that way. I was thinking of doing patrol instead of wasting hours there."

Kim's glare intensified. "Oh hell no, you are not going to go all cliché on me and pull the 'lone superhero on patrol' thing. I'm still ferociously ticked off at you for that Halloween deal. I can't believe you missed out on a party because you were out patrolling!"

"That night didn't end particularly well for you either, I remind you."

"Not my point Ron. You've been working hard, and from what I've seen, at the expense of everything else."

"Studying after school, training after, missions and regular patrols during night doesn't leave much time for me to do anything else."

"You could skip patrol one night."

Ron's face hardened. "Kim, sometimes that patrol means life or death for someone unfortunate."

"Tri-City have been surviving without you doing your thing. EMTs and police still work."

"I've saved more than a few people out on patrol Kim."

"Ron, no one can be a hero twenty four seven. You are going to fray around the edges if this keeps going on."

"Wade says-" Ron played his last card against Kim.

"I talked this over with Wade. He agrees with me that you have been spending too much time as the Flash." She lowered her voice at the mention of Ron's alter ego. "He has been tracking your time via the suit's sensors."

Ron sighed. "You are not gonna let this one go then?"

"Not gonna happen." Kim pulled Ron close and pointed to where Tara had followed Bonnie. "In fact, I have in excellent authority that we have the perfect candidate for you to ask out."

"For the dance?"

"For the dance, dates, the whole deal."

"This must be good. Who?"

"Tara."

Ron sighed. "Kim, Tara is just a friendly girl by nature. Let's not misinterpret her friendliness."

"I'm their team captain Ron. Believe me when I tell you that she likes you a lot."

Ron squinted at Kim. "Okay, even if we were to assume that was true, she being Bonnie's bestie and all, that sounds like a monumentally bad idea."

"Ron, you will go up to her and ask her out on a date, or so help me-"

"Got it, jeez, what got into you Kim?"

"I kinda locked you in when Josh and I went together at Spirit Week, think of it as me making upto you."

Ron shrugged. "You know, you will have to buy me a chimmerito after I crash and burn when I ask Tara out."

"You ask her out, I'll Grande Size it if she rejects you." Ron perked up at this, thinking that he would at least get a free meal out of it. He stood up with his tray and waved goodbye to Kim.

Monique sat after Ron left. "Did you really send him after Tara?"

"Yup."

"Don't you think forcing him to ask her out is a bit weird?"

"This same boy managed to get himself rejected by Britina, a Japanese assistant, fifty different girls, all in the same week. And now he needs prodding and pushing to ask one girl out. No I don't think it's weird, I think it's necessary for his best friend to play matchmaker."

"It's just weird that you've been best friends all this time, and you are playing matchmaker for him just now."

_That's because I didn't think need he'd need a girlfriend up until he started spending his nights as a suit wearing, straight out of the comic book superhero._

Which reminded Kim that she and Ron still had to finish that somewhat world shattering conversation.

* * *

Tara opened her locker and retrieved the books she needed for her class after lunch period. Someone touched her shoulder as she closed it. Turning back, she found Ron standing, looking troubled.

"Uh, how are you doing Tara?" He seemed wrestling with himself internally.

"I'm..uh, fine. Thanks for asking. Are you okay?"

"Oh, I'm, you know, Ron-Man's always fine...Soooo..." _ Man the hell up Stoppable, he who holds the title of Most Rejections In a Day Boy. _ "You doing anything Friday night?"

Tara blushed and her eyes fell downwards towards her own hands. "Uh, not...nothing really."

Ron grimaced. _ Here it goes._ "So, if you want, you know, we could grab some food and catch a movie?" He braced for the incoming 'Thanks, but no thanks' themed speech.

Instead, Tara blushed even deeper and nodded ferociously. "I'd love to!"

Ron was shocked and couldn't speak. Tara continued on for him. "Pick me at seven?"

"Uuhhh. Yea." Ron stood shell-shocked as Tara waved and went to her class. It later hit Ron that he didn't know where she lived. _ I'll guess I'll just ask her later, or maybe Kim knows. Oh well._

_Wait a minute, she accepted?! _ His brain was catching up. Very, very slowly.

Down at the end of the corridor, Kim high fived Monique. "Mission accomplished."

Bonnie caught them from behind. "Hmph. Looks like the loser is finally manning up."

Kim turned in anger. "Excuse me?! He is not a loser!"

Bonnie huffed. "Certainly not as bad as before." She then threw a honey-dipped smile that promised poison to Kim. "How telling it must be for the great Kim Possible, her sidekick starts shining through _ as soon as _ he starts stepping away from her."

"Ron is not stepping away from me!"

"Oh really? You two don't hang out as much as before, he doesn't drop by cheer practices, doesn't go to movies or Bueno Nacho with you." At Kim's shocked expression, Bonnie scoffed. "Oh please, almost everyone in our grade noticed what's going on. Ron Stoppable spends less time with Kim Possible, and his grades shot up to the roof, he becomes a football star and _ finally _ asks Tara. Do you have any idea _ how excruciating _ it was to watch Tara crush on him?"

"I got him to ask her out Bonnie, so shut it!"

"How long it took you then? About the better part of the Freshman and Sophomore years? And only when he finally distanced himself from you."

Bonnie strode past Kim and Monique. "At least I had the honesty to say loser to his face. You did the same without saying a single thing, whether you like it or not."

Kim's arms fell to her sides and she lost the ability to breathe. Monique realized the danger and held Kim's arms, as she came back online a few seconds after and was ready to tear Bonnie apart.

* * *

After school, Kim and Ron walked to their homes, but sidetracked to sit on a bench near a playground.

Kim nudged Ron to speak. "So? What did I tell you, she did accept after all."

"Okay, you were right and I was wrong. Happy?"

"Oh stop it. You'll go on a date with a sweet and beautiful girl. Don't act like it's a bad thing."

"I just feel like I used my status as a football player for this. It feels wrong."

Kim sighed. "This the same wrong feeling you got when you decided to not tell me you were Flash?" Ron opened his mouth to interject, but Kim didn't let him. "No, let me finish. So I did some thinking the last few days after we talked. I understand why you didn't tell me. I get it, okay?"

Ron nodded slowly. "I sense a 'but' coming."

Kim took a deep breath. "But... nothing. I am sorry that I didn't think of your feelings about this whole..." She waved her arms. "_ Thing._ "

"Kim, you couldn't know. I never blamed you for my own insecurities."

"Maybe you should have. I don't know." Bonnie's words echoed in her head. _At least I had the honesty to say loser to his face. You did the same without saying a single thing, whether you like it or not. _ Then Tara's words about Ron's social status came to her mind_. You two are these teen hero badasses, and almost always inseperable. If I didn't get to know you from cheer squad, I would've been thinking the same._

While she loathed to admit Bonnie was right, even by a tiniest sliver of truth, she had been the source of some of Ron's insecurities. And she had to fix some of them, if she could.

Kim turned to Ron. "Ron, believe me when I tell you this. Ever since we met, no matter how goofy or insensitive you got, I never, ever once thought you a loser. Not once. Eccentric, weird and quirky, but never a loser. You are easily the bravest and most loyal person I've ever known."

"Kim, I know this already, you don't need to tell me."

Kim shook her head. "No, I do. Because I think, you yourself don't see yourself in the same light I do." She took Ron's backpack and looked at it. "When you pulled the suit out and said this was about more than Ron or Kim, that it was about the people, I wish you could have seen yourself."

"There was standing a man wearing my best friend's face, basically telling me that what I did these past two years, was not about me, my ego or my life. It was about the people." Kim handed the backpack to Ron. "I never dug the 'hero with mask' or 'secret identity' thing very much, as you know. But when you stood up like that, I found myself believing in this idea of 'hero.'"

Ron blushed more and more. "Wow Kim..."

"So don't you dare see yourself as someone inferior. It was not the post-Flash Ron that ran after the whole cheer squad to Camp Wannaweep to be a hero. It was not a super powered speedster that turned himself into a football star. And it certainly wasn't some generic, hot-blooded football player with an inflated sense of ego that asked Tara out today."

Ron just hugged his backpack. "Kim, I don't know...Thanks, you always know what's best to say."

Kim glared at him sideways. "This doesn't mean that I'm not ticked off at you still. I mean, all personal issues aside, how can you _NOT _ tell your best friend since four years old that you had become a superhero? It's like breaking every single comic book cliché out there."

"So you are totally gonna kick my ass the next training session?"

"You got that right speedy."

"So, what am I gonna do with this whole 'date' thing? I'm a little bit rusty on the game since I haven't been on a date since...Well, never."

Kim counted with her fingers. "Let Tara choose the movie. Let her speak when you crack a joke, it'll allow her to engage in a conversation with you."

"And don't be myself?"

"Actually, go full on Ron. That's what attracted her at the first place, so more of the same Ron-ness."

Ron smiled as he nodded. "I can do that. I kinda miss just being Ron sometimes." His watch beeped twice.

Kim, having been told what this means, grinned at him. "Go do your thing Mr. Flash."

Ron took the suit out and changed in superspeed, with Kim only seeing a spinning mini-tornado. Ron threw one final look at Kim. "KP, since we are all coming clean and all, I highly suggest you hold a heart-to-heart with Wade as well."

Then he blasted off in a hurry. _ Good luck Wade, she's all yours. I will be safe and sound, away from her wrath, in a nice little gang shootout._

* * *

_"What the hell do you mean when you were screening the calls for help on the website?!"_

Ron promptly rolled his eyes and sped behind a gangsta. He took the gun and threw it, then kicked the guy in the back.

_"You honestly thought I would send you against organized crime?!"_

He saw four guys with semi-automatic rifles come out of a van. Just as they opened fire, he blasted away towards the other side of the alleyway. He circled the building and punched one of them who stood a bit behind than others.

_"Wade, that means people who needed help didn't get it!"_

Ron dropped to his knees as the other three turned around. He sweep kicked all their feet under them. A few bullets were sprayed from their bullets as they fell, but Ron just jumped sideways.

_"You can't help everyone, especially not while using your own name!"_

Ron sped up and kicked the gangstas while they were sprawled on the asphalt. Suddenly, he saw bullets flying at his position from the other end of the alleyway. He pulled the same trick and went out the end of the alley he had come from. He didn't circle back though, he ran the side of the short apartment complex and landed on its roof.

_"You had no problems sending us against the likes of Drakken though! Is he honestly less harmful than those calls you screened?!"_

Ron looked from above on the newcomers. These were from the other gang that had started the street war. They entered the alley slowly, expecting an attack any second.

_"Kim, whereas Drakken has trouble figuring out who your father is, people I kept you away from flush other people out of witness protection!"_

Ron grimaced at the increasing volume in his ear. See, he had called Wade to give him a heads up, but Kim had acted fast and called at the same time. His connection left open, Ron was listening in to the argument of Kim and Wade. At least when he slowed back to normal speed.

_"But you are sending Ron against all sorts of trouble now, don't you? And alone with no backup!"_

Ron jumped off the side of the building and hurled himself towards the wall of the other building that made up the alleyway. With his superspeed, the gravity had little hold on him as he ran the side of the building and downwards to the goons below.

With the grace of a bowling ball destroying a finely formed line, he barreled into them. The goons were scattered around, but still had their guns in their hands. Ron suddenly had an idea pop into his head. He spun around himself with his arms open wide, and kept increasing the speed.

Resulting mini tornado picked up and hurled all the goons in the vicinity to the walls. Most were knocked out cold when he stopped to spin, and he took down the few groggy ones himself.

The alleyway was littered by the members of two opposing gangs and their weapons. Ron thought that it would be a good idea to liberate them of their weapons and started picking them up in super speed.

A few minutes later, the cops behind an established safe parameter was presented with a pile of weapons in front of them. After a few more seconds and a gust of wind later, the police officer in charge of the scene was greeted by Flash.

"All the thugs are out cold Officer Hobble. These are all their weapons that I could find."

Wade's booming voice blasted through his earpiece. _"We can shout at each other all day, but it doesn't change the fact that I did what I had to do to keep you and Ron safe, and help those we could as best as we can! If you don't like it, find yourself another mission command!" _ The line was cut after that, followed with a small silence on both the earpiece and the scene which Flash was in.

Officer Hobble moved towards Flash. "While we appreciate the help, I'm afraid I'll ask you to come in to testify. Standard procedure for all non-police civilians involved."

Flash presented him with a grin. "Ran in, wiped the floor with them all, collected weapons, dumped weapons near you. There, my entire statement done. Good day to you all officers." Before anyone could say or do anything, he blasted off towards Middleton suburbs.

_That argument sounded real bad. Maybe I should check up on them?_

His stomach grumbled. _Well, picking up Rufus and eating before then._

* * *

Ron activated his watch, but instead of it presenting a line to Wade immediately, it now had a second channel on the screen. He pressed the activation button again and it switched onto the second channel. While the channel connected to Wade was codenamed "**WatchTower**", this one had the codename "**Improbable.**"

_Nice pun Wade. _He long pressed the button to activate the channel. A few seconds later, channel was open and watch screen switched to video transmission.

_"Wade, I wanted to say that -Ron?" _ Kim looked a bit off key, but it was understandable as no one but Wade had so far showed their face through the Kimmunicator.

"The one and only." Ron smiled. "Wanted to check in, see how you were doing?"

_"You could drop by, I'm not doing anything important. Just had to get some work with school clubs done."_

"I'm multi-tasking." He glanced behind him.

_"What?...Ron, are you calling me while you are on-Wait a minute, are you on top of the mall?!"_

"Pretty much, yeah." He took a large bite out of the chimmerito he had in his other hand.

_"And eating a chimmerito. Are you sure you are a superhero?"_

"Hey, this hypermetabolic hunk of fine man must be fed regularly. Plus, I get to keep an eye on one of the busiest places during these hours." He got the rest of the greasy treat into his mouth in one move.

Kim looked incredibly grossed. _"Charming. Anyway-Wait a second." _Ron heard shuffling and saw Kim throw the Kimmunicator on her bed. Then he heard the door slamming open and Kim shouting. _"Tweebs! Stop trying to listen in my conversation!" _ The sound of a door slamming was heard. Kim grabbed the Kimmunicator a few seconds after.

"Tim and Jim?"

Kim groaned. _ "Yes. Seriously, they should know by now, Wade's encryption on this thing is way beyond their league. Anyway... I'm doing fine, why did you call me on patrol?"_

"Kim, Wade forgot he was on the line with me when you called. I basically heard the whole deal."

_"Ohhhh. So that was it." _ Kim looked as if something finally made sense.

"What?"

_"There were weird thunder noises in the background and a few gunshots, if I didn't imagine." _ Kim looked worried for a moment. _"Are you okay Ron, getting shot and all?"_

"Kim, I'm getting shot at almost twice a week lately. Watching the bullets travel in the air has become something of a hobby by now. Anyways. I was just gonna tell you that maybe you should listen to a bit what Wade is telling."

Kim stood silent, and Ron took it as an invitation to elaborate further. "The more deeper we both go into this, the worse the assholes will get Kim. I did some reading Wade sent my way. Shego, she's your textbook mercenary. Drakken is _ literally _ the definition of an angsty nerd. Seniors, as Wayne said, are cozy little family villains. D. was a complete and total fruitcake, but she is not one to go after your family. Then we got..." Ron kept a shiver running up his spine barely in check. " Monty Fiske. See, that was a tad more of a dangerous maniac. I'm glad that one is locked in a maximum security prison. And he is _ just the tip of the iceberg _ when the topic is dangerous maniacs."

_"I know. Ron, I know._" Kim looked downcast. "_After thinking a bit, most of Wade says makes more sense than I'd like to admit. I had not thought about it too deeply as we kept saving and helping people, but fighting all evil seems less about me and more about those around me_."

Ron had an idea what she was thinking about. "Halloween?"

Kim nodded. _"Halloween. What my father said was true. Drakken and Shego could have hurt innocent people that night. And other, more ferociously bad people... definitely would have."_

"Kim, I think there's a good chance that I pissed off enough robbers, thugs and all around bad guys in Tri-City itself that the moment someone learns who I am, people will come after my family and friends."

_"I get all that okay... I just can't take it! The idea that..."_ Kim stopped speaking and looked at Ron via the Kimmunicator. _"That there are people out there who needs help... And I can't give it to them."_

"Kim, we are two teens somehow going around the world, somehow saving the day, whether it's from a villain or a natural disaster, and managing to come back in one piece...Mostly. You already knew we couldn't help everyone."

_"Wade actively screening them makes the thought..." _ Kim seemed searching for correct words. _" More real. I know they are out there, needing the help." _She sighed. _" I'll apologize from Wade."_ She threw a look at Ron. _" Don't stay out too late Ron."_

"Yes Mom." He pushed himself off the giant advertisement boards on the side of the mall and sped sideways on the wall.

* * *

Ron pulled on the black shirt he was wearing. It was one of his mission shirts. Thing is, this was not a mission. At least, it wasn't labeled as one.

_Operation: Take the Pretty Little Blonde Out, commence!... I hate myself._

Kim had literally threw him in his own room, and started rummaging through his clothes while he watched. Ron could catch snippets of mumbling while she did so. Amongst them, he had caught the telltale word of "Bonnie" more than a few times.

Which meant that Kim had turned this date into a sort of competition with Bonnie while he was not paying attention. Which meant the Ultra Kimness was coming out to play.

_"You are going to dazzle Tara with all your charm."_

_"I will?"_

_"Yes, you will! Look at you, you look ferociously cool."_

_"I do?" _

_Kim had grumbled and kept trying different jackets or jerseys Ron had over the shirt. Finally, she held out his very seldom used Mad Dog jacket and appraised him. "We are going with the classics. Team jacket, nice black shirt and black mission pants."_

_"Am I the only one that thinks that two thirds of this getup is my usual mission clothes, and that's weird?"_

_Both Kim and Rufus answered. Kim with a resounding "No." and Rufus with a high pitch squeak that Ron registered as a variation of 'Calm down.' Finally, after setting his hair, or trying her hand at it, Kim pushed Ron out the door and towards his date's house. Ron barely had enough time to scoop Rufus into the pocket of his jacket._

And here he was, waiting for her date in front of her house. Tara's mother, a petite blonde with a warm smile had greeted him and asked about himself while Tara was getting ready. He thought he did a good job on those, by revealing only the bare necessities like how he was average student, what his mother and father did for a living and stuff. His jacket had initiated a line of questioning, which revealed that Tara's father was an air force pilot who used to play quarterback. He was also away on air force training exercises, which made Ron breathe a lot easier. Dealing with a protective father was so not on his to do list.

When Tara finally came down, Ron saw that she had gone with a rather nice combo of jeans and a cute white top. She also had a jacket on her that Ron recognized as cheer squad's jacket.

They walked out after Tara's mother wished them a nice date. Ron took the spare helmet he had and passed it to Tara as he strapped his own. His old trusty scooter was going to be used for the evening's transportation needs. He drove them towards the city center at a leisurely pace, having more than enough time before the movies.

Tara had wrapped her arms around his torso. They could talk at the slow pace he was keeping. "I thought you don't like the team jacket?" She asked.

"It feels...uh... too normal. Like I'm a generic football head."

Tara giggled. "Never be normal, right?"

"Exactly." Ron did a double take as he kept driving. "Wait, how do you know my motto?"

"Kim of course. And I think you shouted it once or twice in the school halls." She tugged on the jacket. "I think it looks good on you."

"Thanks. You went with the cheer squad's jacket, what gives?"

Tara put her head on Ron's shoulder and spoke. "It's getting a bit colder and...uh..." She mumbled something that Ron didn't catch. He asked her what she said. Her answer was a _' she told me to.'_

Ron was puzzled a bit as he thought. Then it hit him. _ Of course, what else could it be. _He turned his head slightly to grin at Tara. "Bonnie huh?"

Tara blushed faintly. "Yes... She basically-"

"Barged into your room, threw clothes at you while mumbling and you probably heard 'Kim' amongst the mumblings?"

"Yes, I-wait, how did you..?"

"This guess of mine is based on a real life story, starring yours truly and one best friend of his."

They both laughed the rest of the way.

After Ron parked his scooter and they started walking towards a little café near the cinema, Tara took the initiative and put her arm around Ron's. Ron had a sardonic smile on his face.

"Something bothering you?"

"I'm just thinking how many clichés we can re-enact today, seeing as we are right on course with the whole cheerleader plus football player theme, complete with team jackets and all."

"Your pet is a good twist on the cliché, I think." Which was true, as Rufus was basically standing guard on Ron's other shoulder, away from Tara. "I don't think he likes me much." Which was also probably true, as Rufus had made indignant sounds as she linked her arm with Ron's.

"Rufus just takes his time getting to know people." Then he whispered to Tara. "Or you can totally cheat and buy him some cheese. He can't resist bribes."

Both of them failed to notice the tails they had. One of them was amongst the crowd, walking with a beret and sunglasses while trying to look inconspicous. The other was on the neighboring rooftops.

* * *

**Fifteen Minutes Ago.**

Anne Possible looked at Kim rushing to her room, then rushing back out with mission clothes and her grappling hairdryer. "Mission at this hour Kimmie?"

Kim shook her head as she tied her shoes. "No. Ron's going on a date and I gotta tail him to make sure he... is not disturbed. Should be back in an hour or so." She rushed out the door.

Anne however was stuck on her daughter's first sentence. _ Ron's on a date?_

* * *

The couple on the date arrived at the café and sat down at a table near the windows. Ron ordered himself a simple burger and a Coco-Moo, while Tara went with a chicken salad. What surprised the poor waiter was Ron asking for grated cheese on the side.

"So, being Bonnie's side...I mean friend, must be taxing."

"No problems calling it sidekick Ron, we both know it." She smiled. "Besides, Bonnie is not that bad once you get to know her."

"Well, I might be a tad biased as she called me names through kindergarten to...Well, last month or so." He appeared puzzled. "She has not said a single mean remark in a month. That's odd."

Tara looked surprised. "Ron, you do remember last month right? You know, the night where you..." She trailed off as she remembered the mugger.

Ron's eyes grew. "Wow, I had forgotten that, as a matter of fact." _ Kinda easy to forget since I kinda broke off a lot of other petty crimes in the passing time._

Tara shot a little smile at him. "Guess saving two young girls happen often to you?"

Ron's face felt a bit hot. "It's really not... all that. Anyone would do the same."

Tara threw a funny look at him. "Ron, almost anyone would walk away."

Ron was saved by the arriving food. He took his burger and set the plate in the middle, then instructed Tara to watch. Rufus went through the cheese like hot knife through butter. While Rufus was certainly not a pretty pet, he did grew on people over time, and in Tara's case, that didn't take long.

After the brief meal, Ron regaled Tara with the stories of his sidekick career, aka. One Thousand and One Ways to Lose Your Pants.

"Ron, you never told us how you beat that mutant guy in Camp-" She saw an expression of fright cross Ron's face. "...Where-Should-Not-Be-Named-Nor-Mentioned."

Ron's face immediately relaxed and he smiled. "Hey, you remembered its correct name!"

"I had it penciled in at the back of my chem notebook. It was kinda hard to forget where you are kidnapped and turned into bait for one 'Ron Stoppable.'"

Ron blushed. "Again, I'm so sorry. I had no idea that I had a 'childhood acquaintance face-turned-heel' waiting in shadows to get me." He blanked out on his own sentence. "Did that sound as whack to you as it did to me?"

Tara smiled. "I think it's kinda cool, you having enemies and all."

_Girl, you have _**no **_idea._

"So, how exactly you got him?"

Ron took a dramatic deep breath. "Through blood, sweat and tears. I suffered and paid a heavy price for victory."

"Really?" Ron found it a bit adorable how she was a tad gullible. Her eyes had grown a bit in worry.

"Well, I had to burn the mission clothes I had arrived in. And Smarty Mart was shelving them for that week. I had to do the next mission with Kim in shorts. Not a fun mission, considering it was in a jungle in Brazil." Tara winced and they shared another laugh over it.

Ron got a bit serious. "Well, you know the beginning of that particular story. Gil hates me and wants to get to me, but since I hate that infernal place, he can't get me there. He arranges a fake cheer competition, captures you all, thinks Kim being captured would get me there immediately."

"Which it did."

"Well, yes, but capturing the entire cheer squad in _ mutating muck _ was a total dick move. Anyway, Wade cashes in a favor from one of Kim's missions, I get dropped over the camp, I land in the clearing with you all captured nearby, Gil does his dramatic reveal with two 'L's. At which point Barkin is panicking, I use the escape tunnel in cabin 13." Ron threw a look at Tara. "I heard your ditcher comment by the way, while I was getting away."

Tara blushed. "Sorry about that."

"I must forgive you for doubting the Ron-Man, coz it did look a bit bad. After that, I went to the old arts and crafts building, found and repaired an old net, found the boat, used the boat to lure Gil away, tied his feet in water, Rufus activates the boat, Gil is thrown around the lake and crashes into dock. Simple really."

"For you maybe. Not everyone is an action hero Ron."

Ron chuckled. "Can I get that in writing so Kim will know you said it for real?"

While the two were having a fun conversation, the rooftop across the café was hosting another conversation.

_"Kim, I don't know." _ Wade sounded very hesitant to do what Kim asked.

"Wade, this is Ron we are talking about. Just open a channel to his watch so we can eavesdrop."

_"Invasion of privacy, ethical concerns?"_

"Watching out for a friend, going to review his performance for better dates in future."

_"Right, because you are such an expert on dating."_ Kim shot a poisonous look at Wade. _"Oh okay."_

Kimmunicator switched modes as Kim watched, now the screen was in 'Audio Streaming' mode. A moment later, they heard the runningback and the cheerleader conversing.

_"So you have been tight with Bonnie for long?"_

_"Ever since we moved here. Been like six years."_

_"Where did you even meet her?"_

_"Oh, it was a ballet class Mom had me sign up for. She has been practicing it for a long time, and showed me the ropes."_

_"Well, I guess she had to be nice to someone... eventually. She never liked Kim much."_

_"Bonnie still calls Kim 'Tin-Teeth' when you two are not around."_

_"Wow, that's like ancient history. Kim has not worn braces in a few years. Ever since the-... You know what, never mind."_ Kim shuddered as she knew what Ron had almost let slip. The fateful day which her braces were locked with Walter Nelson.

_"Well, I think she never got over the fact that Kim joined varsity cheer squad after her, but took the captain spot when we all advanced to first squad."_

_"I'm guessing that she hanging out with the prime loser in all of Middleton didn't help either." _ Kim heard a scoffing sound from Ron. "_ Oh don't worry, I never did care about what other people thinks. Badical comes from inside one's self, not others."_

_"That's very Zen."_

_"I'm a secret monk in training."_ Kim rolled her eyes. She had told Ron to go 'all-out Ron' and boy did he take to that advice like fish takes to water. As she scanned the café from above, she spied a feminine figure wearing a beret and sunglasses.

_No... It can't be._

Ten minutes later, the couple exited the café and walked to the cinema. Kim took pursuit in rooftops again, while keeping an eye on the feminine figure from earlier. Sure enough, that person had also took off as soon as Ron and Tara had moved.

Kim listened through the watch as Ron let Tara choose the movie, and sure enough, she chose a rom-com. Kim decided it was time to confront the person who was tailing the couple. She jumped down from the nearby alley and grabbed hold of the said person as she passed by the alley.

"Ow ow!" A familiar voice echoed along as Kim grabbed the right arm of the person and twisted it around to her back. Her eyes grew as she heard the voice.

"Bonnie?!" She let the said fellow cheerleader go.

"Kim Possible, you are such a weirdo! What the hell's your problem?!" Bonnie rubbed her arm as she glared at Kim.

"What's your problem with those glasses and the beret?"

"It's called going undercover you redheaded maniac."

"Yes, undercover as a fashion disaster."

"You are one to talk, 'one outfit for all year long.'"

"It's called personal style Bon-Bon. Not that you'd know anything about it."

"I've been setting trends when you were still wearing braces Possible."

"What the hell are you doing , by following them anyway? Ron has done nothing but the absolutely correct thing all evening."

"Oh it's not your bumbling idiot I'm worried about. I'm here to stop Tara from embarrassing the entire cheerleading squad in case she goes critically unstable."

At the corner of the alley near the cinema, two heads were peeking near the edge of the wall. One had messy sandy blonde hair, while the other had long flowing platinum blonde.

Ron grinned. "It's heartwarming to know how much faith they have in us."

Tara smiled apologetically. "Sorry about that. Bonnie has little sense of personal space."

"Tara dear, the redhead currently battling verbally with said brunette is my lifelong friend, in her _mission clothes_, with the grappling gun that is disguised as a hairdryer. At this point, it's safe to say personal space is a non-issue for both of them."

They retracted their heads. Ron waved the tickets. "Wanna go inside now and hide?"

"I thought you'd never ask." They snickered all the way inside as Kim and Bonnie shouting could be heard all the way to the main street.

* * *

Kim threw a one-two combination punch Ron's way, who simply swatted them aside with his arms crossed. He then moved in while spinning around himself, and extended both his arms at Kim's midsection with his palms open. Kim simply jumped away to avoid Ron's Reaching Monkey Strike. ( He was coming up with the names himself.)

He was also humming slightly as they trained, Kim realized. "You're awfully chipper today." Kim dropped down and swept Ron's feet under him.

Ron fell down on his hands twisted near his torso, caught himself and propelled himself towards Kim. Kim sidestepped the incoming double kick and sent a low kick to Ron's back. He got hit and stumbled a few steps away as he recovered.

"You know, life's good. I had a nice patrol yesterday, got all my school work done, Wade helped with more advanced topics. He also did some work on my suit. It has a built in sonic dampener on the eyepiece, for when I go supersonic." He rotated his arms and sat in his Pek Kwar stance, Wooden Monkey Version.

Kim took up a Mantis stance and opened her legs wide. Then she sprang into action as she jumped and landed a spinning kick on Ron. He had blocked the blow with only his left arm moved. Then he suddenly grabbed Kim's still extended leg with the same arm and flung her away. She flipped and landed in a crouch.

"So this has nothing to do with your date two nights ago."

Ron seemed a tad embarrassed. "Well, maybe that too."

"Didn't get to ask you yesterday, how did it go?" She moved in for a quick hit on Ron, but was surprised as Ron did the same and they got locked in crossed blocks. Both of their free left hands moved for a grab on the other, but instead they caught each other over the crossed block.

Ron smiled while they strained their upper bodies. "After you and Bonnie started a shouting match near the cinema?"

Kim tried a low kick to break Ron's concentration. Ron just took the hit to his left leg and then flexed his muscles, effectively over powering the slender cheer leader in pure strength. Kim's grip loosened and Ron used that window of opportunity to put his right leg behind Kim's body. Then he just pushed her and made her trip.

Kim landed on her back and huffed. "So you two saw us."

Ron extended his hand and grabbed Kim's. "It was kinda hard not to. Half the street watched you two shout."

Kim stood up and crashed into Ron when she stumbled. Ron's hits were getting harder each time they trained. She was a bit tired after last bout.

Rufus held out a water bottle for Kim. She took it as she sat on the bench nearby and also took her towel. Meanwhile, Ron was going through the stances and moves of certain Monkey Kung Fu disciplines.

"Aren't you tired?"

"Not really, no. Then again, I run at superspeed for an entire hour and be slightly winded."

"I told this before, I will tell it again. This is such a hax superpower you gained."

Ron grinned. "You know, I was kinda thinking the same thing. Well, at least against completely normal humans." His stomach grumbled rather loudly. "And there's the downside."

Kim scoffed. "Most girls would give an arm to have your metabolism."

"The constant snackage requirements are rather draining on my allowance. So it's not all super."

Kim glared at him, but sat silently as she sipped water from her bottle. "So, spill. How did the rest of the evening played out?"

Ron scratched his head. "Well, we went to the movie, it was luckily more com than rom, so that was okay. We had fun. After checking if you two were still around, we walked around a bit. Then I gave her a ride back home with scooter. All in all, it was nice."

"Told you a night off would do wonders. So, how was Tara?"

"She was, you know, nice. I mean, I had fun, she seemed to have fun, she got my jokes and played along. " Ron grinned. "We swapped stories of you and Bonnie. Did you know that Bonnie has two bigger sisters that basically bully her all the time?"

Kim shook her head. That was news to her as well. Ron continued. "Puts things about her in a perspective." He pulled an energy bar from his pack and munched on it.

Kim felt compelled to ask. "So you are going to ask her out again?"

"Actually, I already did. Next Saturday, a movie of my choosing this time." He smiled at Kim. "Thanks for pushing me to it KP. You were right, as usual."

Kim smiled sardonically. "Oh, I've been wrong more than a few times lately."

"Meh, you make up for it by being awesome rest of the time." He extended half of the bar. "Want some?"

"Nah, had a good breakfast. What are you gonna do now? Since you finished all your normal stuff yesterday?"

Ron grinned. "Wanna go for a pizza?"

Kim looked at him quizzically. "Not particularly, no. What brought this on?"

Ron grinned even wider. "Oh sorry, I meant to say pizza in Chicago."

Kim got what he meant and nodded fervently. "You should've opened with that. Now, kneel before me."

"Jeez Kim, power trips are so not your thing." He knelt and let Kim climb to his back. Rufus climbed in her pocket as well.

"Shut up and run."

* * *

The following week saw Ron's mood increasing even more. He and Tara hung out on two days at lunch, he found out that he had scored an A in chem and a gentleman's B+ in math. He and Kim also went out on a nice little mission where they rescued a film crew shooting a documentary in an African savanna. His nightly patrols were also filled with relatively harmless events and criminals.

Well, if Ron had a bit more experience in the hero business, he could probably tell this was what old timers call 'the calm before the storm.'

* * *

Kim slipped on the Rocket Booster Sweatshirt, that has been a fit when she was _ eight_ , on her with great difficulty. His father was such a... father when it came to Kim growing up.

The doorbell rang and Kim went to get it while grumbling. On the other side of the door stood Ron, dressed in his own Rocket Booster sweatshirt. And boy did he look happy.

"Fellow Rocket Booster! Are you ready?" Ron pumped up his fist in excitement.

Kim simply deadpanned at him. "So not. I'm actually trying to bail."

Ron scoffed. " And miss the rocket shaped cookies?!" Rufus jumped up on Ron's shoulder and rubbed his tummy at the mention of cookies.

Kim smiled as she gave up. Despite all that has been going on, it was good to see Ron being... Well, Ron. She stepped out and waited for her father with Ron.

"I'd think you'd want to spend your Saturday mid-morning with something different." She imitated a running man with her index and middle finger.

Ron waved it off. "Pfft, I finished all my schoolwork yesterday and pushed in some training before I went to bed, just to clear my schedule for today."

"Ah, so that was why you wolfed down your Naco at our Naco Night and diseappeared after. Wait, did you say _ all _ your schoolwork?! Barkin gave you like a ten page essay for being late!"

Ron rolled his eyes. "Duh Kim, I cheated." He imitated a thunder sound with his mouth.

Kim sighed. Ron had been abusing his power for academic purposes to no end. She had seen him squeeze in the worth of ten hours of study under ten minutes real time. It was especially vexing when he did it while they were studying together. She had caught herself asking Ron for tips. Oh, the indignity.

Her mind turned to another matter. Especially since it was Saturday. "Don't you have a date with Tara later?"

"That's not until six in the evening KP. More than enough time to chill with you and eat cookies."

"Which date is this, third?" Kim squinted at Ron, for he had been a tad absent lately, what with no Team Possible missions and him taking his nightly patrols seriously.

" Fourth actually. One date a week so far. Remember how I had to cut the last week's date in half because of-"

"Ah, right, the chain accident in the freeway. What did you tell her when you had to go?"

Ron blushed. "I kinda blanked so..." He glanced at Kim.

Kim gasped. "You didn't...tell her that you left to help me?!" Ron nervously nodded. "Ron, you don't leave your date telling her you are going to help _ another _ girl."

"Well, someone has to type me a list of plausible excuses then, because I run out of them pretty fast." He shook his head slightly. "Anyway, I'm mixing it up today to make up for that. Gonna take her to-"

James Possible exited the house and gave them a huge smile. "Are we ready to roll, little Boosters?!"

Kim sighed and got into the passenger seat up front at her Dad's car with Ron sitting in the back. Ron was literally jumping in his seat a little while mumbling 'cookies.'

After a short while, they reached the Space Center. To much of Kim's chagrin, the gateguard had commented how the Rocket Booster's Open House was only for little kids, which her father had purposefully waylaid with a very touching remark.

And now she was standing in front of many little kids, and another big one near her.

"Are you the teacher?" A sweet girl with brown hair pulled into a ponytail asked her, while raising her am like in a class.

"No." Kim looked extremely irate as she answered, all the while glancing at Ron who was downing cookies like no tomorrow.

"I think she's my babysitter." Another kid, a boy with black hair commented.

"Are you gonna babysit us?"

"No, I'm just a big girl who really has no business being here." Her father walked in and continued embarrassing her full speed.

The kids were taken in by the idea of rockets and spaceships, being kids. Ron was eating cookies, sometimes commenting on which part he was eating. Her father was pulling her into random hugs.

_I'm in hell._

As Dr. Possible gave them a tour of the space center, he introduced them to their newest astronaut, Friedrick. They were treated to the image of a really little... Well, someone in a spacesuit, complete with helmet and all. When the astronaut saw them, he pressed some keys on his spacesuit's on-board computer, and a computerized voice sounded out from the helmet.

"Welcome, friends."

"Hey, how come he uses one of those box thingies to talk?" One of the kids asked.

James Possible threw them a very big smile. "I think you'll like this, boys and girls. You see, Friedrick isn't a human astronaut. He's a-"

At this moment, Friedrick removed his helmet and revealed the face of a...

"Monkey!" Ron jumped back a good two meters. "For the love of god, why is it always monkeys?!"

Friedrick grabbed Ron and hugged him. Which didn't sit remotely well for the _ still-_ monkey phobic blonde. He might have gotten used to the idea of fighting remotely like one, but actually being friends with one was still a far away idea.

After Rufus seperated the monkey from him, Kim felt the need to tease him. "I think he likes you."

"Well, I don't like him back. I'm out of here, are you coming?"

"Hang on. I'm gonna tell my dad straight up that I'm too old for this." Kim walked upto her father.

Before she could say anything, James Possible hugged his daughter. "There's my girl. You know it doesn't get any better than this. You, me, a deep connection... So, what's up?"

Kim got shaky when her father seemed so happy. "I...I...I have to... show Ron something." They walked out of the room.

* * *

A few minutes later, they were outside and almost out of the Space Center's gates. "I really should have said something to Dad. Just flaking on him is so flawed."

"Some things are better left unsaid KP. Especially when there's a monkey in the vicinity."

"Forget about the monkey. Look, I gotta go back, I'll suck it up and tell him that I'm too old for the Rocket Boosters." Kim turned around.

Ron grumbled as he followed Kim back towards the Space Center. "Or you could write him a letter. Everybody loves to get mail."

Kim tried the front doors from which they had exited minutes ago. It was locked. "That's weird."

Rufus jumped up from Ron's shoulder and tried the lock. He squeaked a "Locked." noise after forcing it for a while. Kim motioned to the side of the building. "Let's try the side door."

To their surprise, it was also locked. Kim turned around and tried to figure out what was going on. She noticed no one around. "Where is everybody? Something's definitely not right."

She pulled the Kimmunicator out and called Wade. " Wade, we are outside the Space Center, doors are locked. Can you see if anything's going on?"

Wade started to work his magic. After a minute or so, he replied. "The Space Center's computer system is being jammed Kim. I think something's up!"

Ron interjected. "Something 'Flash' up or..?"

Wade shook his head. "There is no plausible explanation that could put Flash in this scene without even a silent alarm. I think it's best if you two check it out."

Suddenly, a distant scream sounded from inside the Center. Kim and Ron looked at each other in panic. Kim pointed to the door.

"On it, KP." Ron pulled back a good ten meters and supersped directly to the door. He ripped the security door off its hinges with a flying kick. They rushed inside.

Even though it was Saturday, there should've been a few scientists working. And Kim could see no one. They sped towards the rocket launch zone, which was where Kim's father would usually take kids to show the spacecrafts and carrier rockets. It was a few floors up, so they climbed the stairs and stormed past security doors.

As they turned a corner and walked into the main air walkway that leads to the launch zone, they saw two things. One was an old scientist, Kim recalled that his name was Dr. Pressly, was lying on the ground with his eyes wide open.

Second was Monkey Fist surrounded by a few monkey ninjas. Ron and Kim did a double take. _ MONKEY NINJAS?!_

Fist bellowed as he saw the duo. "YOU! Ron Stoppable! And his redheaded friend!" Kim's eyebrow rose, as this was the first time someone had effectively recalled Ron's name... And forgot hers. Which effectively meant that this man hated Ron a lot more than anyone else.

Ron knelt near the old scientist and checked his pulse. He shook his head while never letting his eyes wander off from Fiske. "Kim... He's gone. No pulse."

Kim's eyes grew and then her face took to a steeled expression. "Fiske, you won't get away with murder!"

Fiske seemed taken aback. " I...did not.." He looked behind himself. Ron and Kim also looked at the background. Some monkey ninjas were carrying Friedrick off, to which he was valiantly resisting. Ron felt his dislike evaporating.

Ron held Kim's arm. "Go, and save the little guy." He stood up and looked at Fiske. "He and I have... unfinished business."

Kim ran and jumped over Fiske and his monkey ninjas. She kept running after Friedrick and his captors. Monty Fiske pointed to her and bellowed. "Monkey ninjas, stop her!"

Ron walked upto the crazy nobleman, and did it slowly. "I don't know what your game is, or how you even got out of Belmarsh, but it ends here."

Fiske scoffed. "Without the power granted by Jade Monkeys, you are no match for me."

Ron settled into a serious stance with his feet wide apart and arms opened to sides. He didn't say anything.

Fiske rose an eyebrow as he settled into his own stance with one arm upfront and his cross leg pulled backwards. "Wooden Monkey opening stance. You cannot possibly hope to defeat me at Tai Sheng Pek Kwar." He flexed his genetically altered hands and feet.

Ron spoke with steel in his light brown eyes. " One, your opening stance of Stone Monkey is full of holes. Two, you can't match me in speed regards to Wooden Monkey."

"What?"

"I now know that you solely mastered Stone Monkey Style alone!" Ron sprang into action and leapt at Monkey Fist, his arms being pulled back as he approached the madman.

Fiske didn't break his guard and took Ron's incoming strike with two extended palms onto his left arm. And immediately regretted doing so. The Stone Monkey Style's opening strike, Reaching Monkey was executed with speed...

And this boy had thats in spades. He had seen the teen's godly reflexes in their previous fight. The speed and ferocity of the strike sent jolts of pain across his arm. _The boy is stronger than he looks._

Ron followed up with raining down blows with his open palms on Fiske's torso. Somehow, the nobleman blocked them all. Not without the cost though. He backflipped and tried to kick Ron's head during the flip.

Unfortunately for Fiske, Ron was not playing this by the book. Against master, even a self-taught one, but master nonetheless, Ron had to cheat. So when Fiske was in the air, Ron reviewed the situation in slow motion, and acted with precise and controlled movements.

He caught Fiske's feet and flung him towards the ground. Fiske, with his backwards momentum arrested, felt his spine bending backwards as Ron pulled him down. He impacted the floor, and immediately a jolt of pain shot from his back.

Ron, seeing his advantage, pressed it. He jumped up and tried to land on Fiske's chest. Fiske rolled sideways and avoided the blow. He spun as he stood and kicked Ron through his guard.

Ron's guard broke against the genetically enhanced strength of the man, and he took the spinning kick in his chin. He crashed on the wall nearby, and barely saw Fiske's incoming punch.

He evaded it at the last second and Fiske's punch impacted where his head just was. The wall cracked, but Ron could see that had cost Fiske. The resulting reactive force travelled down Fiske's arm and onto his whole body. The simian maniac suddenly felt numerous streams of blinding pain travelling up his spine.

Ron rolled away and looked at Fiske. "Your back is injured. You have lost. Just surrender."

Fiske grew even more angry and shouted both in anger and pain. "NOT TO YOU! Not to a self-righteous sanctimonious brat like you!" He jumped at Ron, but blinding pain halted his motions in the air.

Ron simply clotheslined the nobleman in the neck and knocked him back onto the ground. "That self-righteous brat took you on twice, and won both times."

Fiske had tears coming up his eyes now, completing the image of a fallen madman perfectly. " I WILL KILL YOU! I WILL MURDER ALL YOU LOVE!"

Ron's anger rose as well. He put his foot on Fiske's chest and leaned on it. "I told you this once before, and I will say it again. You will never hurt anyone! Not while I live! You are nothing Fiske!"

"Then allow me to be the one to complete his work." A very gruff baritone spoke from behind Ron. His eyes grew and he spun quickly.

To come face to face with an enormous black _gorilla._ Which had apparently spoken.

Ron tried to move away as fast as he could, but the gorilla, somehow caught him in the neck with his enormous hand. He raised Ron up and kept him at his arm's reach. Then the immense creature turned to Fiske, who was writhing on the ground.

"Your inane babbling and endless tirades of destiny and mystical power bores me Fiske. Like all humans, you are prideful and greedy beyond your station. Our partnership ends here."

Ron tried to squirm out of the grip, but it was like an iron vice. The gorilla kept speaking. "I must still thank you, because now I have all the connections I need. After I enhance my intelligence by devouring the rest of the scientists here, human race will learn their place. So in a way, your _destiny _ will be fulfilled."

The gorilla kicked Fiske away and knocked him out. Then he turned to Ron. "As for you, amusing specimen. I must say, I quite enjoyed myself reading about this prodigious Team Possible. And you did not disappoint. Still, you are an insect, and hence, you shall be crushed."

The gorilla raised and smashed him into the glass wall of the air walkway. Ron was now suspended above the Space Center's launch zone's asphalt. Rufus climbed from Ron's pocket and bit the gorilla's hand. The creature bellowed in pain and smacked Rufus away with the back of his other hand. Rufus flew away and impacted on the ground some twenty meters away on the walkway, but immediately got up.

Before Ron could do anything, the gorilla threw him to the smashed glass, and beyond towards a thirty feet fall. And then immediately turned away from the glass, not even bothering to look to the boy he thought he just murdered.

Ron had a big problem. His first instinct was to spin around himself to create a vortex, but without a foothold, he couldn't spin in the air fast enough. Then an idea popped into his head. He began to turn his arms at superspeed in a circular motion.

Just as he was speeding towards the asphalt, two mini tornados shot from his arms and slowed his fall. He still hit the ground rather hard and was knocked out momentarily.

* * *

Kim rushed towards the fleeing monkey ninjas. They were carrying him to the docket rocket in the launch zone. She was interrupted as the monkeys Fiske sent after her caught up and forced her way towards the mission command room.

She recovered from her fall through the doors of the command room.

"Kimmie!" Her father was surrounded by all the Booster children, and seemingly kept them together. A few monkey ninjas already in the room was standing guard over them, apparently.

Kim did a backflip and landed on a defensive stance. A total of eight monkeys were circling around her. Her options were limited as Ron already held the real threat at bay. She had to protect the children and her father. Friedrick had to wait.

Suddenly, a distant but loud cry was heard. It sounded like Monkey Fist. Kim smirked. "Looks like your master is getting his ass kicked."

Monkeys snarled and jumped at Kim. She evaded most and caught two of them, smashing them into their comrades. She made short work of the rest as she picked them off with extending kicks and grapples.

When the last monkey fell unconscious, Kim moved to get to Friedrick. As she reached the door however, it exploded inwards, sending Kim all the way back near the kids and her father.

She shook her head to clear her spinning head. From the now blasted frame of the door, a massive figure walked in. It was a black gorilla of immense stature, who also seemed to be perfectly calm and in control.

Then it spoke. Kim and everyone else in the room were too shocked to respond to the gruff and menacing baritone. "Impressive, young female. Indeed, you are a credit to your inferior species."

Then the massive gorilla walked even further inside and smiled inhumanly. "But at the end, you are a hairless ape, and therefore, irrelevant. I shall kill you as easily as I killed your friend. If you wish to do battle."

Kim's breath was stuck in her throat. Ron, killed?! It was impossible! He had superpowers, he wouldn't fall to a simple _ talking _ gorilla. Then almost twenty different Rons were spawned out of thin air, all laying on the ground, all with their limbs twisted at the most disturbing angles.

Kim croaked and all the kids started crying as they saw the gruesome images. Kim's Kimmunicator activated and Wade scanned the area.

The gorilla didn't register her frozen form and walked past her. He stood near the command console and seemed to plug something in. After a few seconds, the device he plugged in beeped and he pulled it back.

"Now my business is finished... But." The gorilla's eyes caught James Possible who was trying to hide all the kids behind himself. "You are an eye-catching specimen."

Before anyone could react, gorilla grabbed Dr. Possible by his head and lifted him. It closed its eyes and seemed to concentrate.

"Ah...I see. A genius level intellect, amongst your peers, you do stand out. Such exquisite brain waves you have. Your mind will be a much better nourishment than those old crones."

Kim came back to her senses and rushed at the gorilla. "Let go of my father you freak!"

The gorilla didn't even look at her as his free hand pointed to a chair nearby and then towards the charging Kim. Said teenager was caught on the side by the flying chair. She tried charging again, but this time an entire desk nearby flew in the air and flung her to a wall nearby. As she tried to get up again, the desk flew in and stuck her between the wall and itself.

"Now, let's proceed to the meal without interruptions, no?" He grabbed James Possible's head with both his hands and closed his eyes.

James Possible started screaming that would pierce Kim's nightmares for many months to come. She desperately tried getting out under the desk that trapped her, but it was too heavy and not budging at all. Tears flowed out from her eyes as the screaming got worse.

And at that moment, when all seemed lost, the ground started shaking and everything around Kim seemed to vibrate. Kim shouted at the last second. "Kids, everyone to the ground!" All of the kids hit the floor, and a milisecond after, a red streak crashed in through the observation window.

With a deafening thunder, the streak that seemed to leave lightning trails crashed into the gorilla. The monstrous animal was flung back in superspeed and went through the wall to the adjacent corridor.

The streak stopped and revealed a heavily breathing Flash. He briskly walked to Kim and helped lift the desk so she could get free. James Possible was shaking uncontrollably and the kids were crying.

An angry groan was heard from the corridor. Flash turned to the teen hero. "Kim, get the kids, your father, any survivors you find on the way and get out!"

Kim seemed distraught. "What if you need-"

Ron's worry seeped out from under the mask. "Kim, do as I say, NOW!" He motioned to kids and gathered them around himself. "So kids, big Sis Kim will take you all to a nice little run and away from the baddies. Who wants to be Junior Flashes and run as fast they can?"

The kids all raised their hands. Flash broke a smile, a very fake one, but still a smile. "Alright! Help Kimmie and run, and you will all be Flash Junior in no time! Now, run!" He sent off the kids towards the exit while Kim heaved her father on her shoulders and looked at Ron with absolute worry.

The frightening yell of a gorilla sounded across the room and Ron saw the gorilla walking towards the room. "Kim, go now!"

Kim ran away carrying her father, while crying. This was beyond anything they had ever come across.

Wade's voice came across the Kimmunicator lying on the ground. "R-Flash! He is using psionic illusions and telekinesis! His brain waves are on a wavelength that even interfered with my signal!"

The gorilla jumped into the room. "What to do?!"

Wade gave the only advice he could before the fight restarted. "Stay in superspeed!"

Ron took the advice and rushed at the gorilla as he charged at Ron. They met in the middle and Ron barely evaded the gorilla's speeding punch. It impacted a console behind Ron and destroyed it entirely. Ron moved behind the gorilla and unleashed one of his punch storms on its back.

The animal growled loudly and spun very fast. Its fist caught Ron in the chest and sent him back all the way to the corridor through the blasted doorframe.

"Insect! What madness possessed you to hit me like that?! I will crush you and smash you until nothing is left!"

Ron groaned as he picked himself up. "Oh I don't know, I was running past this place and noticed the zoo was missing one attraction. Though when I look at you, calling you an attraction would be stretching the term."

"You dare mock the great GRODD?!" The now-named Grodd bellowed and rushed at him. It was incredibly fast, too fast for a human or a gorilla. Ron thought he felt vibrations as it approached.

He flung himself sideways and avoided the devastating slam at the last milisecond. The wall behind him was once again reduced to rubble. Ron looked around to see if he could use anything to his advantage. Unfortunately, the narrow corridor was very constricting to his movements.

So he decided to go out. He supersped towards the exit. Grodd took pursuit in an incredible speed. Ron jumped sideways as he felt a blow incoming, and the point he was just at was smashed.

Ron pushed himself and went supersonic inside the corridor, and almost immediately blasted into the research floor. Grodd arrived a few seconds after, heaving heavily.

_He has some superspeed, but he can't keep up like I do._ Grodd screamed and the entire research floor shook from his rage. Some of the desks started flying towards Ron. He evaded them in superspeed, but didn't see Grodd charging while he did.

Grodd landed a body slam on Ron and sent him flying through the air. Ron smashed out through the windows and started falling towards the entrance of the Space Center.

He did the same rotating arms trick and managed a softer landing this time. He looked around and saw the kids, Kim and Dr. Possible all nearby, along with some scientists they had apparently picked up along the way. They were all wheezing, and the kids looked ready to collapse.

Kim saw him land and started to approach. Ron waved his arms. "Stay away! Go away more!"

With a terrifying roar, Grodd jumped down from above and landed some distance away from Ron. "You shall not escape, speck!" A nearby car was lifted into the air slowly, and was then flung towards Ron. He exploded into a lightning bolt and went straight for Grodd.

Grodd swiped his arms but missed Ron who ducked. Then he delivered a super speeded punch to Grodd's face. The gorilla was knocked away.

Ron stopped and shook his hand. "Holy shit. What's its face made of, steel?"

The gorilla bellowed again, and suddenly the area was filled with Grodds. _ Plural._

Wade's warning echoed in Ron's mind. _ Stay in superspeed._ Ron exploded again and the Grodds slowed down as everybody else. As he ran, he noticed almost all of them flickering, as if they were just mirages.

Almost all of them. Ron saw the one not flickering, and made a beeline for the gorilla. He went supersonic at the last moment and delivered a flying kick to gorilla's face. Grodd was blasted at a supersonic speed himself and crashed through numerous cars before landing in a heap.

Ron felt relieved, and turned to Kim and everyone else. It was weird though, Kim looked horrified and everyone else, including James Possible was looking at him with impossibly widened eyes.

_Hey everyone, no need to... worry._ Ron realized he was not speaking out loud. Then he tried to walk. He collapsed on his knees after one step. He looked down and saw something sticking out from his chest. It was a metal bar, looked like it was ripped clean from a support beam nearby.

_Well...This stinks._

As people watched, Flash fell facefirst onto the ground and Kim caught him just before he hit the ground.

Kim held Ron and frantically tried to wake him up. Police sirens were closing in. They all heard growling from where Grodd had fallen. Slowly, the gorilla rose from the ground.

It flashed a smile that showed its fangs when he saw Flash lying in Kim's arms. "What do you know, my last gambit worked after all." The gorilla spit blood after he talked. He listened to the sirens. "Human law enforcement. It would be unwise to engage in my injured state."

He smiled at Kim. "Tell that insect, that if he survives, I will end him. Consume him. And his powers will be mine!" With this ominous exclamation, Grodd sprinted away into the woods nearby.

Kim's attention turned to bleeding Ron. She held him in her arms and stood up. Ron was heavier than she remembered, but she could deal. She had to.

"He needs a doctor or a hospital! Someone get us a car! Now!"

James Possible threw the keys of his car at a co-worker. "Jensen, drive them to my place! And don't tell it to anyone!"

"Dad?!"

"I'll call your mom, she can handle this! And he can't go to a hospital if you don't want him arrested. Now go! I'll handle the cops."

They rushed and the lab assistant called Jensen drove them as fast as he could.

* * *

Anne Possible rushed to her car. She was lucky that she had no surgeries planned and she was at twins' soccer practice. James' words were resounding in her head.

_"Honey, we were... attacked at Space Center... Kim is fine but... Flash showed up and fought for us against a mutant gorilla...He's hurt."_

She passed by two red lights on the way home. James didn't know of course, and Anne didn't know if Kim had learnt, but she knew. Ron _ was _ Flash.

_"Anne, he saved my life. He saved the kids, Kim, anyone he could. We can't let police take him if he goes to a hospital."_

Of course they couldn't let the authorities take him! Besides being the most noble, kindest and loyal boy she had known all her life, Ron was both Kim's best friend... And a protector of _ everyone in Tri-City! _The boy had somehow changed when they were not watching, and now he seemed to have found his calling.

As a hero. Not sidekick, but a real life superhero.

_"Jensen is driving him to my place with Kim. Tell Jensen to get what you need. I gotta deal with cops now, it's on your hands now."_

She realized her hands were shaking as she neared the Possible residence. _ Calm down Anne. Ron's life is at stake. You must stay calm for his and Kim's sake._

She parked the car haphazardly and rushed to the house. She always kept a stocked medical set in the house, because of the twins being twins, and Kim&Ron turning up from missions banged up from time to time.

_James said he was losing blood. Ron's an AB-negative. I'll need Jensen to make a run for me to hospital._

The twins were at soccer practice, so house was quiet. She prepped the table in the garage and laid down the medical supplies. Just as she was finished, a car's screeching was heard. She opened the garage door and motioned to the car. Kim carried Flash out of the back seat and towards the garage.

Anne took her hospital ID and threw it to the freaked out lab assistant. "Jensen, go to hospital and get me two drips of AB- negative blood! Show them my ID and say it's an emergency!"

"Yes, Mrs. Possible Ma'am." To his credit, the lab assistant was quick on his feet.

Kim laid down Flash on the table. Anne started ordering her around, knowing that she'd go into shock otherwise, and Anne needed help.

"Kim, close the garage door and turn on every single light source! Activate the air conditioner your father had installed here! And lock the door to the house itself!" While Anne inspected the wound in a hurry while taking the suit off Ron, Kim did all those, and she noticed tears were dropping from her face.

She was shaken up by her mother. "Kimmie, I need you to hold Ron! We need to remove the stabbed object and then stifle the bleeding. Hold Ron!"

_Ron. Ron needs help!_ Kim went near Ron and held his arms. Anne prepared iodine and then held the metal bar. She began to pull it out, slowly and carefully. Even so, Ron's eyes shot open and he screamed from the pain.

"Kim! Hold him!" Kim used all her strength to hold Ron's arms, and then put her body on top of his torso. He was spasming from the pain.

Anne finally pulled out the bar and poured iodine on top of the wound. Ron spasmed even worse and Kim had to hold her tears as Ron screamed. Then he went still again.

Kim feared the worst for a moment. Anne shook her again, with bloody hands. "He just fainted, now we need to bind the wound. Get the bandages!"

Anne had not done a sewing job on a torso since med school, but she did it like it had not been years. In under three minutes, both the entry and exit wounds were sewn.

After that, it was all a blur for Kim. The wound was dressed and bound, bandages were tightly wrapped around Ron's lower torso. The wound was below the heart and ribcage, to their luck. At some point, Jensen had dropped off the blood bags and wished them good luck. The young lab assistant had surprised her when she asked him to keep quiet.

_"Are you kidding Mrs. Possible? You don't need to worry. Anything for the Flash. He is a true hero."_

They had connected the bags to a makeshift stand and Anne had opened a vein to feed the blood. Kim had collapsed near the table, her face marked with dried tears, and her hands in dried blood.

Anne felt both proud of and afraid for her daughter. She was going through things no teenager should have to. But she was pulling through.

Kim raised her head slightly to look at her mother. "You knew Ron was Flash?"

Anne smiled weakly. "Since Halloween. He called me 'Mrs. Dr. P.' when we talked."

Kim tried to push a chuckle out of her lungs. "Classic Ron..."

Anne knelt near her daughter and hugged her slightly. "He'll pull through Kimmie. He's already stabilizing."

Kim seemed to shake out of her thoughts. She searched herself for the Kimmunicator, but remembered it was dropped at Space Center. Then she took the watch from Ron's arm.

"Wade, answer me, Wade!"

Wade showed on-screen. He looked haggard. "Kim, I'm sorry, I'm running damage control."

"What do you mean damage control?!"

"I'm erasing the tracks of both your mother and your father's cars. Scrubbing security cameras, wireless signal traces, GPS, everything. The police is trying to find out where you took him. And I'm not going to let them."

"Oh...Thanks Wade... But there is something.."

"What?" The kid genius didn't even look up from the screen he was typing in.

"His wound is not healing... At his speed. It looks like it's a normal human, no healing factor!"

Wade seemed to pause. "Your Kimmunicator is completely totaled in the Space Center, so I can't run an analysis now." He stood up and took something off-screen. "I'm going to send you a prototype one I've been working on. Ring me up when it arrives." He resumed typing before remembering something and addressing Kim.

"Kim, you need to do one more thing."

"What is it?"

"Ron has a date in three hours. You need to call his date and come up with something. The incident is all over the news, you can maybe use that. But definitely keep Tara off Ron's case. Unlike you two, she can't protect herself. Do you understand me Kim?"

Wade's commanding tone was surprising, but welcome. "Yes...I will handle it Wade."

Anne held Kim's shoulder tightly. "Go and speak to Ron's date. I will stay with him."

* * *

Tara was watching the local news with wide eyes.

_"More details on the attack on Middleton Space Center. Latest reports from Middleton PD indicate that the attack was the work of the notorious renegade archeologist Monty Fiske. Alongside him, according to eye witness reports, were...'monkey ninjas.'" _

The reporter was obviously trying to ascertain if what he was reading was correct. He continued after a while. _ "Alongside him, however, was a black gorilla. Reportedly, this gorilla murdered three respected scientists at the Space Center and attempted to commit a fourth before the Flash intervened."_

_"A new report we just obtained from an eyewitness, Kevin Leland, age nine, indicates that Kim Possible was also there, but was ineffective against the gorilla's... 'mad mind powers'?"_

_"So far, only concrete information is that the threat has been averted by the Flash. Paramedics on the scene did not see either him or Kim Possible."_

Tara's phone rang three times before she picked it up. A very tired, battered voice spoke on the other end.

"Tara? You there?"

"Kim! Are you okay?! I just saw the news!"

Kim sighed. "Tara, I'm fine."

Some cold, dark feeling dropped into Tara's stomach. "What about Ron? Is he okay?"

Kim's voice wavered and Tara feared the worst. "He took on Monty Fiske himself, so he is banged up. They had him on painkillers though, so he is really out of it. I'm afraid he can't make it to the date."

Tara exploded with anger as Kim mentioned the date. "Forget about the damn date! Just tell me which hospital you guys are at so I'll come and see him!"

Kim retaliated as calm as she could. "Tara, it's really not big a deal. They patched him up, gave him painkillers and let him go. I got him to his house. He was sleeping when I left."

Tara's anger simmered down. "Oh...Okay... When will he wake up?"

"I'll get him to call you tomorrow, that okay?"

"Yes...Yes, thanks Kim. You're the best."

Kim felt like crying again._ I'm a useless cheerleader who couldn't do anything, help her best friend at any rate! _

"Kim, are you okay?"

"I'm...just tired Tara...Sorry about it."

Tara sounded concerned. "Oh... You should rest as well Kim. I'll get both you and Ron a nice little fruit basket tomorrow."

"Thanks... And sorry for getting your date canceled again."

Tara sounded sincere as she answered. "I understand Kim. You two are incredibly good people, how can I not... You just rest well, we'll talk later."

Tara closed the phone. Kim walked back into the garage and slumped onto a chair near Ron's sleeping body.

Anne put her hand on Kim's head. "Kimmie, I'll go get twins from the practice quickly. Keep an eye on Ron's color and the dripping of that blood bag."

Kim nodded faintly. She heard the front door open and close.

Then the tears started falling again. She cried more and more as she watched Ron's pained face and injured body.

Then she heard him mumble something. She closed up on his face to hear what he was saying.

"Kim...Kim...Run away...Run."

Kim fell asleep as she held Ron in his sleep.

* * *

**A.N.: Before anyone asks, it's the Kevin Conroy version, not Bale.**

**Feel free to comment on everything as the story divergence is just starting to happen.**

* * *

_**To be Continued in: "In Brightest Day."**_


	6. In Brightest Day

**A.N.: If I was a prideful man, I'd ask for more reviews. But I'm not a...Well, you know what, I am a prideful man. Review this please. Also, to answer someone's private inquiry, I'll just come out and tell this little piece of information. This is NOT a KiGo fic. And whatever gave you that idea, I have no clue.**

**Also, Lichdom: Battlemage is an awesome game, part the reason why it took long to put this one out.**

** UnStoppable Flash **

**Disclaimer: Kim Possible trademark and all characters belong to Disney.**

**DC Comics and all characters belong to Warner Bros.**

**Chapter 6: In Brightest Day**

All he could feel was a throbbing at first. Somewhere under his ribs, something was throbbing with each pumping of the blood through his veins. He couldn't open his eyes, move his arms or even turn his head.

As he kept breathing slowly, the pain, ever so slowly subsided. He could feel every single heartbeat as a throbbing in his lower torso, but he started to feel other things as well. For instance, he felt something warm on his upper chest. And near his face. He then became aware of something holding down his arms at his sides.

With a slight groan, he finally managed to open his eyes. First thing he saw was a bright red mass of something. His eyes slowly focused into the image. He noticed it was hair. With much effort, he turned his head slightly.

And that's how Ron Stoppable found his face literally milimeters away from a sleeping Kim Possible's. He could feel her breathing slowly, and worst part was that her hot breath was landing directly on his neck.

_Awk-frigging-weird. _ Then Ron noticed the warm mass on top his chest was Kim sprawled over himself, which made him reassess his previous comment. _ Make that super ultra frigging awkweird. _

As his eyes focused fully, he slowly gained control over his extremities. He tried to move Kim slowly, without waking her up and get himself out from under her. But this was an impossible task, for as soon as he tried to move a bit, Kim's eyes shot up open and she breathed in sharply.

For a second, they stood frozen as they stared at each other's eyes. Then a new wave of pain hit Ron as Kim immediately pushed herself off of him.

"Holy hell that hurts!" Ron groaned as he tried to deal with the pain and he tried to hold his belly.

Kim's hands grabbed Ron's arms and kept them still. "Ron! Don't touch your wound!"

Ron subsided and regained control again. He turned to Kim. "Wound?" Then he remembered the last scene before he faded out. "Oooh, that wound." He tried to raise himself from the table but eventually failed. "I feel so weak..."

And his stomach chose to comment. By a loud groan. "And apparently, hungry as hell." He looked around and recognized where he was. "Uh, Kim, why am I in your garage?"

Kim let his arms go, but held his left hand as she settled back onto her chair. "We...I had to go bring you here... Mom patched the wound up..." She nodded towards the makeshift IV stand near Ron. "We had to feed blood into your system... Ron, you almost died..."

Ron's eyes widened. Then he rolled his eyes. "Well then, chalk one more win to Ron-Man's board. Survived, yet again! Take that Death!"

Kim wanted to laugh at him joking, she really did. It meant he was going to be okay.

She wasn't just sure if she was going to be. So she settled for squeezing Ron's hand. "Thank you."

"For what? KP, you guys totally saved my ass. I think I'd be a total goner if you didn't save me."

Kim stood up and helped Ron rise up to a sitting position. Then slowly hugged him, careful not to aggravate his injury. "Thank you for saving my dad."

Ron was shocked by the sudden show of gratitude. "Uh...you know... you'd do the same... No big."

"You bled to save us all Ron. It was not 'No Big', it's downright heroic."

Ron smiled weakly as they kept up the hug. He felt comfortable enough to stay silent and simply feel glad that everyone else was safe.

Anne Possible walked in and saw the teens. "Am I interrupting something Kimmie?"

Kim didn't let go of Ron, but broke the hug. Then she helped him lay back. "Just happy that he is alive, Mom."

Anne smiled and walked over. She unplugged the blood pack from Ron and checked his bandages. "Pretty close call there Ron. You scared us to death."

"Job hazards Mrs. Dr. P. You know, what with being a-" Ron suddenly shut up and panicked. "Wi-with being a sidekick and all!"

Kim rolled her eyes. "Ron, she knows. She knew _ before _ I did." She put special emphasis on the before part, glaring at Ron.

Ron smacked his face. "I knew that slip up in Halloween was gonna bite me in the ass."

Anne laughed. "Oh it's okay Ron. It's not like this is the first time I patched up a superhero."

Kim and Ron both turned to her, Ron as much as his injury allowed. "What?!"

Anne grinned nervously. "You know, since Kimmie is a superhero and all."

"Riiiiight." Kim stared at her mother suspiciously. Ron just shrugged. It was not his place to comment. Anne handed Kim a package.

It was revealed to be the replacement Kimmunicator Wade had sent. She immediately opened a channel to Wade.

"Wade, Kim here. The replacement arrived."

Wade was sleeping on his keyboard when Kim's voice boomed through his speakers. He jumped up and tried to bear his surroundings. _"Wha-Kim? What time-Woah."_

Kim checked the clock on the device and saw that it was felt bad for the ten year old. "Sorry Wade. You had said to ring you when the new Kimmunicator appeared. But we can call later?"

Wade shook his head and slapped himself lightly to wake up. _"No, we need to scan Ron right away if what you are telling was true."_

Ron was perplexed. "What? What happened?!"

"Don't panic Ron, and stay still." Kim activated scanner mode and held the Kimmunicator over Ron's body. After a few seconds, the device beeped and Wade got a handout from his printer.

_"Kim, I need to take a closer look at this, but it appears there is a foreign energy readout on and around the wound."_

"Wait, _ my _wound?! Do I have an alien lifeform attached?!" Ron was panicking, again.

_"Calm down Ron, it's just an energy that is interfering with your cellular regeneration. Kim, run another scan, I have a suspicion."_

Kim did so. Wade got a second set of readings, then ran a few calculations. _ "As I suspected. It's breaking down and dispersing, but at this rate, it'll take a few days to completely clear out. As for what it is... I need to take a closer look at this tomorrow."_

Ron wanted to speak, but Kim closed his mouth with her hand. "Can we move him Wade?"

_"In the morning, probably. His healing factor seems to be working, but at its slowest rate. The wound should at least scab over the night."_

Anne moved to walk out of the garage. "I'll let John and Andrea know that you are staying here tonight."

Kim got up. "I'll get you a pillow and a blanket." Then she noticed the dried blood on Ron. "And some water to clean up."

"Uh, Kim, could you get me a sweatpants or something?" Ron blushed, as he was in only his boxers.

* * *

"Ow. Ow. Ow." Kim helped Ron out of his house.

"Ron, your mother is near, whine less."

"Oh right, I'll try to let my pain receptors get that memo." The blonde teen looked ahead of the road they had upto school. "I am so fudged that it's not even funny."

"You want me to carry you Mr. Superhero?" Kim snickered as Ron's face shrank in horror.

"I'll walk." Which he did, but it took him a lot of effort to do so. Kim decided to speak to get him to focus on something else.

"So, you called Tara yesterday as I told you to?"

"Yea yea. Gave her the story you fed her, which is not a lie by the way." He grimaced. "I don't like this at all."

"Like what? Getting stabbed by a giant gorilla?"

"Well, that goes without saying but... No, not that... It's that... Lying to the girl you are dating, repeatedly. It feels super wrong."

"It is wrong Ron, but Wade is right on this. She can't protect herself, so we have to protect her from the truth."

"Do you have to make so much sense all the time?"

Ron thought back on the Space Center deal, once again, and remembered something he was wondering last night.

"Kim, what finally happened to Frederick?"

Kim chuckled. "Fun fact, the monkey ninjas did put him in the rocket intended for Space Station, but since the control panels and all were smashed, he never went up there. He is still with the Center, waiting for a rescheduling of the mission. What bothers me are the monkey ninjas."

"Why?"

"No one ever heard of a peep of them after all that. Not a single one was found, not even with Fiske knocked out."

"Well, maybe they wisened up to Fiske's crazy and left him. Good for them." They continued on to the school.

The school was buzzing with the talk of the attack on Saturday. Kim was nearly mobbed as soon as they arrived at school by the people who wanted to ask what happened. Most frequent question was that if she had seen Flash fight the gorilla. Ron walked away slowly, waving his hand.

"There you are!" Tara caught Ron from behind and turned him. The sudden movement sent pain across his chest. Ron couldn't help himself but groan a little. "I've been worried sick, you didn't sound too good over the phone yesterday."

"Ah, you know, painkillers and all. I'm... Well, I will be fine in a few days. Just a few bruises and battered bones, nothing major."

Tara got into his right arm and pulled him along slowly. "Well, I'll still help you get to your class. And got a surprise for you at lunch?"

Ron's eyes sparkled. "Bueno Nacho?"

Tara smiled but shook her head. "Fruits and a slice of chocolate cake. It's supposed to help with pain, endorphins and all."

"Well, it ain't no Bueno Nacho, but I can live with that."

Kim watched the two of them while Monique pulled her along away from the mob. She felt a twinge of sorrow as Ron shot a warm smile at Tara. He was acting as if he didn't have a rather debiliating wound on his side.

As Monique and Kim walked to the class, the dark skinned beauty dropped a bomb on Kim.

"So... I heard you took off with Flash after that whole thing? You dating the hottie girl?"

* * *

Tara was very suspicious. Ron was beat up, yet his face was sans blemish on Monday. He was having problems doing sudden movements, yet she had noticed he was not injured at legs or hips. She had observed him in class, and she was a cheer leader so she knew a few things about injuries.

She decided to follow the resident bumbling sidekick slash _ her _ boyfriend on Wednesday. Which how she caught Kim pulling Ron into a supply closet under the stairs in school. Mortified, she tiptoed over and peeked from the edge of the door.

Kim had brought her backpack and set it down. After that, much to Tara's dismay, she pulled Ron's shirt _ off. _ Just as she was about to burst into tears, she noticed the extensive bandaging on Ron's lower torso.

Kim pulled off the bandages and inspected the wound. "Looks much better than Monday."

"I'll be fine in a few days Kim. The strange feeling around it is wearing off."

Tara squinted her eyes and finally saw the wound. It was a stab wound, even she could tell from the way it was. _ Ron never said he was stabbed!_

Kim cleaned the wound with supplies she brought out of her pack. Then renewed the bandages. "I'll take a look at Friday."

"So can I-" Ron moved to ask something, but Kim cut him off.

"Absolutely no extra curricular 'running' Ron. You heard Wade. Until he gives the okay, you're grounded."

Tara scampered off quickly as she saw Kim packing the bag again.

Many questions were posed in her head now.

Only more would add when she got home and found her mother watching the news.

_"While no new details on last weekend's attack on Space Center is revealed, a statement from the office of director of the Center was issued. The statement includes a thank you at Flash, condolences to the three scientists that passed away and a call for stopping media interference. On a related note, our resident Flash-Watch is now reporting the fourth day of absolutely no sighting of the red streak we are becoming so fond of."_

Tara didn't pay much attention to the news, but it piqued her interest in the manner of what had happened. Ron said he didn't know much after he was left with Fist, Kim refused to share anything with anyone, stating that police had asked her to do so.

Still, the matter of the Ron having a rather serious stab wound continued to bug her. She needed to know. That's why she took a trip to Middleton Memorial Hospital.

The lady at the reception desk complicated things even more. "I'm sorry Miss...?"

"King. The name is Tara King."

"Yes, well, Miss King, the latest record of Mr. Stoppable in the hospital is almost from four months ago. When he was struck by lightning. If you want, I can give you the resident doctor who took the case back then. But he had not been here at Saturday."

Tara seemed contemplative. This didn't make any sense at all. She had seen the wound on Ron's torso, it seemed bad enough to warrant a visit to hospital. Also, Kim had said that Ron had been to hospital on the day of the attack.

As she walked back to her place, she was certain that Kim and Ron was hiding something.

* * *

Ron let the Kimmunicator do its scan on him once more. "So, what's the verdict Wade?"

_"The foreign electro-magnetic signature is completely disappeared now. Your healing factor has kicked back as well. The wound itself should disappear in a day or so."_

"So how did that maniac ape managed to do that? Any news?"

Wade shook his head. _"Only theories Ron. And somewhat disturbing theories."_

"Hit me."

_"Well, for starters, the energy signature was somewhat similar to yours... When you speed up."_

Ron was stumped. "What does that mean really?"

_"It means I have nothing. You said it had some superhuman speed as well, but none of this really explains the telekinesis or the psionic brain waves he was bombarding the entire place with. Whenever I uncover a lead, more questions pop."_

Ron shrugged. "You'll get it eventually. No sweat."

_"Ron, unless I can find out what the hell that gorilla was, we are flying blind against a maniac who swore that he'd end you."_

Ron snorted. "He can get in line. Monty old chap has first call on that particular honor."

_"Ron, all I'm saying is that you need to be more careful. You came real close to dying this time."_

"Next time, I'll be more careful going against a super crazy powerful gorilla."

_"When you get back to a hundred percent, I'll need to do some recordings of you."_

"Wha?"

_"I couldn't cover up you being absent the whole week. Even with witnesses not speaking and cops on information blackout, people deduced that Flash was either injured or out of town. I need recordings, both video and audio to project into the cameras and city scape itself next time you can't do the hero thing."_

"You mean you can project my image _onto _ the city?"

_"My Hologram tech on overdrive. I had a design idea that I wanted to work on, this gave me priority on it. Drop by sometime tomorrow, I fixed the suit as well."_

"I think Kim says it every other day, but you continue to rock and roll all day long."

Wade blushed as he closed the connection. _"Go enjoy your last day off-duty Flash."_

* * *

Ron let Tara took his arm as usual as they walked to city center. He had asked her out as it was apparent that the last two failed dates needed to be remedied.

"Again, sorry that I ruined two plans in two weeks. I just seem to be drawing trouble all around."

"Don't apologize for helping people Ron."

"I just fought a dude with monkey hands and feet. Kim did the real work there."

"People say Flash helped a lot, even fought that monster."

"I wouldn't know, I wasn't there." The way he said that, however, was _ too perfect._ As if Ron had practiced it.

When they reached Bueno Nacho, they took a booth. Tara sighed. "Ron, are you sure that you are okay? I mean, you were... banged up hard on Monday."

"Scratches and bruises, I'm almost back to a hundred percent, no problem." Ron took his soda and started sipping it from his favorite type of bendy straw.

Tara squinted at Ron. "You and Kim were really weird the whole week. I even lost track of you in school a few times."

Ron panicked and dropped his soda on himself. "No..I mean what... Whatever do you mean Tara? Nothing fishy there, we were just resting and all, y'know.." He tried to clean up, but his shirt was completely soaked. "Man, gotta clean this up. Be back in a f..minute."

Ron was distracted as he moved towards the restroom of Bueno Nacho. _ You are tripping hard, get a grip Stoppable!_

He didn't notice Tara peeking from the door as he took off his shirt. She saw the chest, _ completely wound free._

She quickly went back to the booth. Her mind was racing to come up with an explanation. She may be gullible from time to time, but by no standard she was a dumb blonde.

_Kim lied when she said Ron had been to the hospital on Saturday. Ron said it was only bruises and scratches, when he had a big wound on his belly. And now it's gone! Without even a scar.._

Then her mind suddenly made a connection. "_On a related note, our resident Flash-Watch is now reporting the fourth day of absolutely no sighting of the red streak we are becoming so fond of." _ This was what news report had said on Wednesday.

_No hospital, and they are covering up him being injured? Can it be...?_

Then her mind went to their second date, in which they had watched the movie Ron had chosen. In the middle of the first half of the movie, his watch had beeped twice and Ron had excused himself to the bathroom immediately. He had came back a few minutes after.

And when Ron had dropped Tara off, the news were saying how Flash had saved a would-be suicide victim at the last second when he had caught the person from jumping off a tall building. It had occurred when they were at the movies.

She thought of the image appeared on TV when Flash was photographed waving after saving a cyclist from in front of an oncoming taxi. Comparing that to Ron, she realized that they were the same height, and had the same build.

_Oh my God! He __**IS **__Flash!_

Then she went into full panic mode. _ My boyfriend is a real life superhero! Oh my god, oh-mi-gawd!_

Ron came out of the restroom almost ten minutes later. He had washed the shirt and tried to dry it with the hand dryer in there. He was partially successful after adding his own hand tornado into the mix.

He found Tara smiling senselessly. She looked at him and brightened even more. After he sat back down, she moved near him and took his arm.

Ron was a bit surprised by the sudden change in attitude. "Uh...something good happened while I was gone?"

Tara shook her head. "I just realized we were having a nice uninterrupted date."

* * *

Kim nudged Ron at his previously injured side while he was retrieving his books from his locker. He reacted little by simply turning and smiling at her.

"Hiya KP! Ready for a wonderful day filled with education and camaraderie between fellow students?"

Kim rolled her eyes while she smiled. "Well, at least your sense of humor is fully active. It's all healed then?"

"One hundred percent. Wade gave me the okay on Saturday, even went out on patrol and everything."

"You should have let me know. We could run you through some light sparring."

"Nah. Already lost good time on the 'down with injury' bit. Besides, Wade had something he wanted done on Sunday."

The school bell rang, signifying that their time had come to suffer through the hell of Monday morning Algebra.

Tara ran in and took Ron's arm. "Good morning Ron!" She smiled to Kim as well. "Hi Kim." She dragged Ron to class. "C'mon Ron, we can get seats at front."

"I don't particularly like front seats at Algebra, Tara." Ron turned his head and nodded to Kim. He mouthed 'sorry' to her and continued on walking.

Kim felt a bit annoyed. Aside from the fact that Ron had been the go-to guy for lecture notes since his empowerment, they would always sit together.

Before she realized what she was thinking, a thought popped into her head. _ Tara is beginning to cut into my 'Ron' time._

Then her eyes widened and she walked to class while thinking. _ I never let Josh cut into the best-friend time._

_Well duh, we barely went on four dates in total, Ron and Tara seems to be going steady already. The girlfriend wins over best friend any day. _ Her sensible side was chiming in.

Kim grumbled the rest of the way to class.

* * *

At lunch, the Kimmunicator beeped. "Hey Wade, what's the sitch?"

_"Nothing villainy, so far. I got a hit on the website, by one Carol Ferris. She requests help to track down an employee of hers."_

"Ferris... I think I heard of her. Some sort of executive for Ferris Aircraft, I think?" Kim mused.

_"Vice-President, actually. After her father, the CEO. She expects you today, after classes."_

Kim glanced at where Ron was sitting with Tara. "Where to? And rides?"

_"Coast City. And I already arranged a ride. Unless you want Ron to carry you?"_

"And hear him grumble about being hungry? No. Besides, can't he sit this one out? I can handle tracking down one employee without him."

_"It might turn into a multi-lead trail Kim, you need backup on the ground. Ron's coming." _Wade looked at Kim's face. "_Something wrong with him?"_

"Oh, he is just a bit too occupied with his girlfriend."

_"Kim, we both know nothing will keep him from backing you up. Watchtower out." _ Wade closed the connection with a cheesy half-salute.

_Oh great, now _ Wade_ is losing his head into this whole 'hero' vibe._

She sighed and left to inform Ron of the impending mission.

* * *

"Niiiiice." Ron downed a glass of soda as soon as it was offered to him. Kim just sipped hers.

They were at Ferris Aircraft HQ, waiting for the caller on the website to see them. She was, most apparent by the overwhelmed secretary that had shown them into the waiting room, a very busy woman.

"I just hope we get a handle on this soon. I've cheer routines to plan and a marine biology paper to finish."

Ron devoured the snack plate that was offered to them. "I could help ya with that if you want."

"With the cheer practices? Ron, get real."

Ron looked horrified at the idea. "Oh no, I meant the other bit. With the paper."

Kim snorted. "You? Have you even finished yours? What was it, environmental pollution and effects on ocean?"

"Yup." Ron looked unconcerned as he nodded.

"What? You usually leave them to last day before handing them in date!"

"I had like ten minutes of downtime yesterday." And there was the smug grin Kim knew that would come.

She just glared at her best friend. "You are the world's most annoying superhero."

"Says the girl that 'can do anything.'"

"For the one billionth time Ron, that was a simple slogan!"

"And for the billionth time, truth in advertising. Sooo, you want Ron-Man's speedy assistance or not?"

"Well... Would be nice... If you can seperate yourself from your _ girlfriend_ for more than five minutes."

Ron scratched his head. "Seriously, Tara must be freaked out or something. Ever since the entire Space Center episode, she insisted to hang around more. I think Bonnie already had a meltdown. So I knew you couldn't be far behind." The smug smile was showing through, _again._

"Excuse me?!" Kim crushed the cracker she was holding in her hand.

"Woah woah woah! I meant that in a good way! You know, caring for your best friend like way!"

Kim harrumphed and turned away from Ron while waiting.

Shortly afterwards, a beautiful woman with long black hair walked in. She was wearing a pantsuit that Kim immediately dubbed as 'power suit.' She had all the grace and predatory air of a corporate executive.

That did little to intimidate either Kim, who was simply used to the antics of rich and powerful, and Ron, who simply didn't care about what other people thought of him.

She sat down at the far end of the table the teens were sitting at. "Miss Possible, thank you for accepting my call for help so quickly. I'm in a bit of a... situation."

"We are here to help Ma'am." Kim glared at Ron, who stopped eating snacks. "Both of us."

"Can I call you Kim?" After Kim nodded, the older woman sighed. "See, it's not something I can run to official channels. Or really go after myself. It's... personal."

She pulled a photo out of her jacket and slid it across the desk. Kim caught it and inspected the photo. It was the photo of a young man, mid twenties Kim guessed. He had unruly brown hair and light brown eyes. He was on a red motorcycle in the photo. Kim passed it across to Ron and looked at the woman.

"That's Hal Jordan. One of our test pilots here at the base. He is... uh, a bit erratic in his behaviour. But he always makes it to his test runs or training exercises."

"And he has one bon-diggity ride, I gotta say." Both Kim and Carol Ferris shot him a poisonous look. "What, he does... I'm shutting up."

Kim punched him in the arm and turned to Ferris. "So, you want him tracked down?"

Carol Ferris leaned on the table and laced her fingers together as she leveled a look at Kim. "As I just stated, he makes it to work. But... we had a certain situation a few days ago. Things got a bit heated. I... kinda suspended him."

Kim raised her eyebrows. "Well, he could wander off if he was suspended. Tracking him seems... useless?"

The woman in the pantsuit fidgeted for a moment. Then talked while rolling her eyes. "I know Hal. I already checked out his usual hidey holes. All of them. If he wasn't in any of those, he must be in trouble. Kim, the police won't act on my hunches so I need someone with finesse handling this. Hal is...well..."

At this point, Carol Ferris shot a look over at Ron who was still admiring the bike in the photo. Kim traced the stare at Ron, and then turned back to the older woman. "Filled with childlike wonder?"

"That, and a tendency to get himself in trouble. Along with whatever wh...I mean unsavory woman that he picks up nearby."

"Alright, we'll look into it and see if we can find him." Kim stood up and Ron followed. Ron happily exited the meeting room, but Kim's arm was held lightly by Carol Ferris.

"I've known that idiot since we were eight Kim. He is many things, but not a quitter. Please find him."

Kim shot an understanding smile. "I know a few things about childhood friends Miss Ferris, don't worry."

Carol Ferris shot a look at Ron waiting near the elevator outside. Then she sighed. "At least yours can hold his pants on himself longer than an hour."

Kim burst into laughter and exited to join Ron on the elevator. She kept snickering the whole way to Jordan's place in the Coast City.

"Okay, you are scaring me now Kim, like real bad. What's so funny?" Ron shot her a very concerned look.

_Oh, the ferocious irony! _ "No-nothing...Just something Ferris said."

* * *

"Well, this is a dead end. Dude hasn't been here in three days." Ron exclaimed while holding a pizza box.

"How you can tell, Mr. Holmes?" Kim glanced around as she looked for clues in the mess this Hal Jordan apparently lived in. The only thing she had found was four different bras of exactly four different sizes. _ That's just nasty._

"In this case, you'll want to refer to Watson. Cheese analysis done by him suggests this pizza is four days old." Ron pointed to Rufus who had devoured a piece of the stale food. The naked mole rap nodded while patting his stomach with apparent content.

"Doesn't he have a car or something? Or that bike? Something Wade can trace?"

Ron ransacked a few cabinets in the entrance to the one bedroom apartment. He came up with some registration papers.

"Papers for a 1971 Dodge Challenger, color is hot red. Does this help?"

Kim threw a set of keys on the counter nearby. "Well, since his bike's keys are here, Wade could run a trace on that car. Get the details and forward them. A hot rod red sports car, with that much subtlety, Wade should be able to trace it right away."

Then she saw Ron. He was devouring an ice cream he had picked from the fridge. She shot him a look.

"Wha, I'm hungry!"

* * *

The car was left on the side of a road, with keys still in the ignition. And absolutely no other tracks were leading away or to the car.

All in all, Team Possible's ground team was stumped. Not that their mission control had any better ideas.

Other than the few he had already enacted. Like putting an alert trace on Hal Jordan's cell number. And it was now warning Wade that the line had an outgoing call.

_"-I need you to come pick me up man, sooner the better." _

_"Hal, what's this about, you are gone for three days and you suddenly need a pick up across the state?"_

_"Tom, believe me, it's not something that I can explain over the phone. Get me at-"_

Wade forwarded the recording of the call to Kim's Kimmunicator. "Looks like we finally caught a break. How far is he Wade?"

_"Not far, Ron can carry you there in under fifteen minutes. That'll give you more than enough time to assess the situation."_

Kim looked at Ron, who shrugged. Then he handed his backpack along with Rufus to Kim. They blasted off after Kim climbed on his back.

* * *

Ron slowed down and lowered Kim to ground some hundred meters away from their target location. They were near a deserted beach at California, and it looked like no one was around.

As they approached the shore however, they were greeted to a strange sight of a man, the very man they are looking for, sitting near a mound of rocks. He had a strange green object sitting on the ground near him.

As soon as he saw the teens, he stood up and looked very uneasy. "Oh, hi there! The beach is...uh... closed today, so you two might as well move far on the coast."

Kim didn't even bat an eyelash. "Hal Jordan?"

The man slumped. "Oh boy... Someone knowing my name, not a good sign."

"Carol Ferris sent us to look for you."

"Goddamit. She's sending kids after me now. What does she want, I am suspended anyway?"

"She was worried when you didn't show up for the last three days."

The man simply was shocked to hear this. "What?! Three days?! Okay, I might've had a bit too much to drink last night, but three frigging days?!"

Ron interjected. "Dude, you totally ditched your car across the state and sleepwalked here or what?" Then Ron spotted something on the shore. "Hey, what's that?" He ran towards the shore.

Hal Jordan panicked. "That's... that's... environmental probe...a government satellite...a.."

Kim leveled a look at him. Then took a look at the mound near him. "Okay, is that a... grave?"

"KP! THERE'S AN ALIEN SPACESHIP HERE!" Ron's scream sounded across the beach.

"You buried an alien?"

Hal Jordan just groaned. "I am so fucked."

Ron ran back to them. "Okay, there's like, purple blood in that ship. Duuude, this is so cool!" The green object caught Ron's eye. "Hey, what's that?"

Kim inspected the green device. It looked like a lantern. Before she could examine it further, Ron moved to touch it.

And as soon as he did, the lantern gave out a bright green pulse off, which didn't do anything other than ruffle their hair. Ron immediately dropped it though. "No touchie the Lantern, apparently."

Hal simply stared at the object with wide eyes. "Now that, I didn't know. It doesn't do anything when I hold it." He demonstrated his point by picking the lantern up.

Kim shook her head and looked around. "Now, as much as I'd like to find out what's all this, I think we should get you away before more people show up."

She helped Ron up and then all three of them took a hike into the woods nearby.

"So let me get this straight, you two landed nearby and ran the rest of the way? What are you two, teen heroes?"

Ron and Kim snickered as they jogged. Hal's eyes grew and looked at Kim.

"Oh you _ are _ teen heroes. Of course." Jordan pointed to Kim. "That'd make you redhead Kim Possible. Oh joy, Carol now sends teeny boppers after me."

Ron chimed in to comment. "She knows sixteen styles of Kung Fu dude, I'd watch what I say."

They stopped quite a bit afterwards. Kim and Jordan were breathing heavily, while Ron was not even winded. Jordan just shot an incredulous look at Ron. "What are you, a marathon runner?" He commented in between deep breaths.

Ron grinned. "High school runningback. Slash sidekick to teen heroine. Slash Bueno Nacho new menu item inventor. Slash Monkey Kung Fu practitioner." He gave an exaggarated bow.

Jordan retorted after he gained his second wind. " Certified combat pilot. Slash muscle car appraiser. Slash irresistible ladies man. Slash owner of a complete collection of Silver Age Blaze Comics collection. I win."

Kim just snorted. "You both lose, and we need a ride out of here." She called Wade on the Kimmunicator. Hal punched in his pal's number and let him know he didn't need a ride anymore.

Ron felt compelled to ask. "So, three days? And you found an alien spaceship? What's the crazy story behind this?"

"First off, I didn't find the ship. A ring hit me in the head, then carried me here." He pulled out and showed Ron a ring. It was dark green and had a seal on it. "I should've been away for only about a day, maybe a little more, but three days? I've no idea."

"Sooo... The ring. Does it have any cool features? Do you go invisible when you put it on?"

Jordan seemed contemplative. "I don't think Lord of the Rings metaphors would work here... Besides..." He looked back towards where they came from. "The alien... Before he died... He said the ring was a great responsibility... Honor... Things like that."

"Wow, alien power rings and meetings with destiny and so on, this is sounding more and more like an origin story man."

Hal Jordan snorted. "What, to a superhero? I read my fair share pal, I'd make a super ladies man at best. Or super model. I got the looks to pull it off."

Kim just sighed as she tried to block out Hal Jordan and Ron having a geek fest over the ring and the lantern.

* * *

"Mighty kind of Ferris to give us a ride to the swampland. Finishing that paper of yours would be tight on timing otherwise."

Kim seemed happy enough. "True. Though I wouldn't want to be Jordan right now, she looked pissed with a capital P."

Ron jumped a little in his place. "I think he's gonna be a superhero soon enough."

Kim couldn't help herself from snorting. "Right, and you'd know how?"

Ron just grinned. "Doy. I've got an origin story of my own."

"Oh god, I'm gonna punch your face in one of these days."

Their host on the boat they were currently on got a smaller tugboat nearby. Kim and Ron started unloading crates off the boat.

"Thanks for helping with my marine biology paper Jerry."

"It was the least I could do after you helped us save all the manities."

Ron thought it was a good day, mission and Kim's paper done, and still enough time to make it to school.

Of course, it was up to the point where Kim _ had _ to get involved and stop some rude swamplanders with a speedboat from speeding over a manity. Which in turn had agitated an alligator in the stream, which in turn had taken a bite out of Kim's pants.

He barely had enough time to get a big shirt over her head to protect her modesty. And now, she was panicking.

"Tell it to me straight. It's bad, right?!"

Ron shook his head while holding the torn and shredded pants. "Sorry Kim, the pants are DoA."

"They were brand new Club Banana!" Kim turned to their host. "Quick, where is the closest mall?!"

"Miami. But don't worry, there is one store in town, that has everything."

And that was the Smarty Mart. Ron _ loved _ Smarty Mart.

"Where smart shoppers shop smart!" Ron recited their motto from heart.

"But it's so discounty!"

"I know, it's great isn't it?!" Ron took Kim's hand and started to drag her to the Smarty Mart.

Kim stopped him. "You know Ron, you could... bring me to the closest mall?"

Ron sighed. "Kim for the love of cheese and naco, some discount clothing won't _ kill _you."

"I need pants! As in fashion. As in NOT Smarty Mart."

"I buy clothes at Smarty Mart."

Kim took one look at Ron's classic ensemble and shivered audibly.

"Just buy one for now, and you can change at your place later." He added in a whisper. _"Retail snob."_

"Ron! Pleeeeaaaaseeee." And the Puppy Dog Pout was in the play gentlemen.

"You are misusing my powers for your personal gain Kim."

"Correction, you are using your powers to help your best friend avoid social suicide."

* * *

"So let me get this straight, I ran all the way to Miami, right to this mall, _ just _ to get you a new pair of pants, and now the entire system is down?" Ron was fuming.

"This Frugal Lucre is ferociously angering me. I need these pants! Now I gotta go home and change!"

"Miami Kim, Miami! And all for a lousy brand product." He shrank in his place when Kim looked at him like the Devil.

"Can we just go home so this nightmare ends?"

"Kim, when you are writing your autobiography, let's skip the part where you had your best friend carry you across the nation while you wearing a ridicilously oversized shirt."

And they still couldn't contact Wade. They didn't know if it was Lucre's ludicrously ridicilous demand of one dollar per person in exchange for not crashing the internet, but their comms were down since noon.

* * *

After they finally made it back to Middleton, Kim changed into her beloved Club Banana pants and Ron ate a rather large stack of discount marshmellows in one sitting (he had bought them in bulk from Smarty Mart), the teen heroes finally got a call from Wade.

"Wade, where have you been?"

_"My computers were down. Frugal Lucre strikes again!" _ Wade smashed his fist on top of his soda to punctuate his words.

"Who is this freak?"

_"No clue. The broadcast came from, like three thousand places at once. But I may have a lead. There was a strange voice in the background."_

"That's a start. Playback time."

They watched Frugal Lucre's broadcast again. Kim noticed the background voice. "Can you strip out Lucre?"

Wade gave Kim a lopsided grin. _ "It won't be easy but... Done."_

They listened to the broadcast without Lucre's voice. The background voice was still unrecognizable. Or so Kim and Wade thought.

"Attention Smarty Mart shoppers! Lucre was broadcasting from a Smarty Mart!" Ron exclaimed after listening to it.

Kim was shooting him a blank look. "How the hell did you hear that?"

"Oh, I just vibrated slow enough so the voice would be slower and easier to pick up for my ears."

Wade sighed._ "He used his power to slow time Kim."_

Kim also sighed. "I'm getting used to it. Anyway, what kind of self-respecting villain threatens the world from a Smarty Mart?"

" I dunno, a villain with good financial sense? Or he may be working there."

After a while, they were at school and in front of Kim's locker.

"You know, we could just give him the money. Compared to most evil demands, a dollar per person is a bargain." Ron nodded sagely as he explained his logic.

"Cost is so not the issue Ron. Stopping Lucre is a point of pride."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Because you always have to get your bad guy?"

Kim glared. "Because I need to shop. Wade, inform me."

_"No luck. Lucre's broadcast could have originated from any Smarty Mart in the country! And there are a lot of 'em."_

" Three thousand nationwide with a new store opening every week. This week, Poughkeepsie." Ron informed them with misplaced pride.

"Why do you know that?! Nevermind." Kim chalked it upto Ron's quirkiness. "Give me a freeze frame on Lucre." Wade showed them a frame of Lucre on the locker computer. Kim snorted. "Cheap fake beards, aisle nine."

_"I can digitize it out." _ After clearing the beard out, Wade printed out a copy.

"Now we can cross-check this photo with the store personnel files and I'm back in busineess with Club Banana."

_"Great idea. But Smarty Mart security is tight. It'll have to be an inside job. As in, plug the Kimmunicator directly into the Smarty Mart personnel computer."_

Ron snorted. After that, Kim felt the printout being taken out of her hands, and someone snatching the Kimmunicator out of her pocket. She turned to see Ron run into the boys room. After a few seconds, they heard a muffled, distant boom.

Kim deadpanned at Wade after a minute of staring after Ron. "Sooo...That just happened."

Wade's attention was pulled to another screen. _"Woah...Just a moment Kim." _ Wade seemed to get new data from somewhere. After another minute, he seemed done. _"Well, that was easy."_

Kim heard the distant boom again, and Ron walked out of the restroom a few seconds after. Kim just glared at him. "You just did the entire infiltration sitch in the time it takes to take a leak, didn't you."

Ron shrugged. "The sooner we get your precious Banana in working order, the sooner we can all retreat to our safe, quiet havens."

Wade sent them another printout. Kim took and read it out loud. "So, Frugal Lucre is Francis Lurmen."

"Francis? No wonder the dude's twisted."

"We've only got a few hours to get to Philadelphia before the dollar deadline."

Ron shook his head. "Correction. I've got more than enough time to go to Philly and nail this dude. You can go... what exactly do you do when I'm not around?"

Kim didn't dignify that with an answer. "Ron, he might be dangerous. This is a team mission."

"Kim, fake 'staches and cheap accent, Smarty Mart vest wearing villain. I _ think _ I'm gonna be okay. You just be ready to swarm Club Banana as soon as the school ends."

Before Kim could say anything, Ron went into the restroom again, and the boom noise was faintly heard again.

Kim sighed in frustration.

* * *

_"And thus the threat made to the safety of the internet was foiled by Kim Possible...eh, Possible's sidekick. The young man handed Francis Lurmen to the authorities. According to the Smarty Mart director where Lurmen worked, the discount villain was planning to use expired Vienna sausages and their tags to bring down the Internet."_

Kim and the rest of the cheerleading squad watched the TV feed from the Kimmunicator. A picture of Ron carrying a gagged and bound Francis Lurmen on his shoulders were shown.

"Why are you not there Kim?" Liz, who were hanging on Tara's arm, asked.

Kim puffed. "I had to get my paper done, so Ron decided to handle it alone."

A few other cheerleaders clapped hands with Tara, who was looking very happy.

_Why is she getting the props, he is __** my **__ sidekick._

Her more reasonable side decided to cut into her thoughts. _ Your sidekick who handled the sitch in the time it takes to watch an Agony County episode. How long would it take you?_

* * *

Kim blew some locks of her hair out of her face. She was sitting at the table in their kitchen. She had called Ron to see if he wanted to hang out, and naturally, he was off being a 'bon-diggity superhero', his words.

It was bad enough that Ron's self-imposed duty as Tri-City's resident superhero was taking a whole lot of his time, but with Tara increasingly becoming a fixture in his social life, it was like Kim was getting phased out of his life.

Which was ironic, since the fears of getting phased out was Ron's thing, not hers. But that wasn't the only source of her moodiness.

She had called Josh to see if he was going to the Winter Formal with her. To her surprise, he had apologized and stated that his garage band had a gig at a bar downtown at the same evening. So Kim was effectively dateless for the Formal, and her go-to friend date for dances had a real date.

_Hell, let's call it what it is, he has a _ steady_ girlfriend while Josh and I have been barely on three full dates and a botched one, total._

So she was bored _ and _ frustrated. Bonnie was going to have a field day with her at the dance.

* * *

Ron held up the board that was littered with his own photographs and various memorabilia regarding his entire life. It was his history project telling who he was to the general populace.

Of course, it was originally intended to be shown to the real history teacher, not the sub-teacher-for-any-and-all-classes Barkin.

"We all know Ron Stoppable is... The Man. But can we prove it? I believe we can. With this _ collagé._ "

"Collagé, that's a French word isn't it? Points off for that."

Ron pointed to his board. "It's all here Mr. B. Birth to Bar Mitzvah and beyond."

Barkin touched somewhere on the board to point it out. "I'm not so sure about this."

Ron felt smug at the chance to show off. "Don't feel bad. Many people are unfamiliar with Jewish traditions. The Bar Mitzvah occurs when a thirteen years old. It's ferociously cool. You go to Temple, you read from Torah, boom! You're a man! My Rabbi even printed out a souvenir certificate which he signed."

Barkin looked closely. "Correction. Which he did not sign."

At the evening, after his patrol, Ron was stewing in his house. "I can't believe it! I've been living a lie all these years!"

So, neither Ron nor his father were big on religion itself. Only his mother was a bit intense about various practices, but that was because she prided on being part of a community more than the actual religion. It was not the religious implication that vexed Ron, it was the social implication.

His mother objected to his intense drama. "Oh Ronnie, you've not been living a lie."

"Have so!" Rufus petted Ron on his arm, trying to console his friend. Then he lost interest and gobbled up what remained on Ron's plate from dinner.

"If it makes you feel better, drop by Temple tomorrow and get Rabbi Katz to sign it." His father supplied helpfully.

"Well, no honey, it'll have to wait till next week. Rabbi Katz is at the rabbinical conference in Vegas, remember?" His mother tracked the community rather well.

"So I've gotta wait whole another week to be a man?!"

"That stuff is not what makes you a man."

Ron delved into the core of the matter. "It's the only proof I've got."

His father tried to focus Ron's attention to a more important point. "What's important now is what kind of man are you."

Ron was stumped. He had many qualities and many deficiencies, so gauging himself was tough. "I don't know. Rufus, what do you think?"

The naked mole rat just burped after clearing Ron's plate. Ron just sighed. This was just his luck, his father had now effectively made him question his own self.

* * *

Barkin stopped Ron in the hall after classes. "Oh, hey, sorry Mr. B."

"I can't help but feel somewhat responsible for your current funk."

Ron shook his head. "Actually I'm onto a new funk. My dad said the question isn't 'Am I a man', it's 'what kind of man?' And I gotta tell you, I'm just not sure."

Barkin thought for a moment. In the past, the answer to this question would be easy. Stoppable was a weak and a small boy. Nowadays, he was a bit different. Ron had surprised him, and the rest of the school by proving he was a phenomenal athlete, at least in the running department. He had improved his grades vastly over the semester. And even Barkin had heard how he was dating a cheerleader.

All in all, Ron Stoppable had been defying his expectations for a while now. And Barkin just didn't have an easy answer for him.

Before he could answer, someone grabbed Ron's arm and turned him around.

"Been looking everywhere for you Ron." It was Kim. Said cheerleader saw Barkin. "Hey Mr. Barkin."

"Possible." Barkin was relieved. He didn't have to answer to Stoppable anymore.

Ron was silent as Kim dragged her to her locker. She opened it and immediately spoke. "Okay Wade, we're here. What's the sitch?"

_"We got a hit on the site from a Jack Hench."_

"Who?"

_"This guy is a total mystery. Nobody knows what he does. Whatever it is, he makes some serious cash. Wait till you see his private jet."_

And boy, was Wade right. A freaking VTOL jet landed on school grounds to pick up the teen heroes after a short while.

* * *

Ron and Kim walked into HenchCo offices. The receptionist greeted them warmly. "Why you must be Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable! I let Mr. Hench know you're here. Please, please take a seat." He showed them to the waiting area nearby.

"They know **my ** name? Kim, call me crazy, but someone actually knowing my name is starting to become a bad sign, and this one is giving me a bad vibe." Ron picked off a _ Macho_ mens magazine and began skimming it.

"Well, you did take down Lucre by yourself and got some screentime."

"You told me the news broadcast never actually said my name. Someone would need to look it up. Telling you Kim, I'm sensing miles of bad road here."

Kim absently nodded. "As weird as it is, I'm getting a bad vibe as well. Stay sharp." Kim had been slowly learning to trust in Ron's instincts on these things, he was surprisingly accurate most of the time.

She looked at the receptionist. He was talking to another customer, to whatever business Hench conducted. "I'm sorry sir, Mr. Hench is booked solid all morning. Can he ring you back? Super." He terminated the call.

Kim decided to have a look at the receptionist / secretary's files. So she decided to run a little deception. She walked upto the desk.

"Excuse me, could you please get me a bottled water?"

The man was happy to help. "You bet." He stood up and walked out to get the water.

Kim immediately started perusing the customer profiles. And was shocked by what she had found. " Senõr Senior Sr., Professor Dementor, this guy Hench deals with some villains bent on global conquest!"

Ron had dropped the magazine and was near Kim in an instant. He caught some of the papers that flied off from his superspeed and scanned them in slow motion. "That's not all Kim. There are seperate profiles for Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot and Slade Wilson."

"And those are?"

Ron shook his head at Kim with a rueful look. "Are you not reading the Superhero watcher websites at all? Nevermind. Cobblepot is a criminal from Gotham, supposedly taken down by Batman. Wilson, far as I can remember, is that maniac who tried to destroy Starling City last spring."

"More villains doing business then? Well, this just became interesting. Come on." Kim grabbed Ron's hand and led him to an employee door locked with a keycard system. Kim used Kimmunicator's decryption interface to break through the security and opened the door.

The two teens found themselves in a hallway decorated with grates all around in the ceiling, walls and floor. Halfway into their run, things got interesting.

Really muscular and large men who all sported the same purple jumpsuit started climbing out of the grates. And it didn't take a genius to deduce their intentions were not on the benign side. Kim noticed they were grinning creepily as they surrounded the teens.

Ron and Kim went back to back. Ron had an idea pop into his head. "Kim, hold my hand." He whispered.

"Ron it's not time to-" Kim got stopped as Ron just grabbed her left hand and started spinning her around. The cheer leader got the idea and started kicking their attackers. Ron spun her three times and finally launched her into a pack of others.

Kim landed on them with double drop kicks. She continued pummeling the opposition as soon as she landed.

Ron on the other hand, had another nice idea. After launching Kim, he ducked a few incoming punches and jumped on his hands. Then cried out. "Whirlwind of Ass Kicking, activated!" He spun on his hands and continuously kicked and repelled the goons on his side of the room.

After a good amount of spins, he jumped on his feet and caught another punch in flight. He twisted the arm and launched the man to the other side.

Kim and Ron reunited in the middle, back-to-back again. "Round two?" Ron queried.

"Oh yea." Kim prepared herself to launch at the goons again.

Suddenly, a man's voice was heard. "People, people. Miss Possible is my guest." The goons in purple went back into the grates and disappeared shortly afterwards.

"That's a good call fellas, coz I was primed to kick it up a notch and go all monkey on your asses." Ron exclaimed.

The man clapped lightly as he smiled. "The hero and the sidekick. Classic. The sidekick is more able than I was led to believe though. No matter."

Kim glared at the man, who was wearing an impeccable black jacket with four buttons, a purple dress shirt, beige pants and brown Italian leather shoes. "So this was a trap."

"Not at all. According to your website, you help people. And Miss Possible, I need help." The knowing smile the man shot their way made Ron want to punch his face in.

The man led them to his office and introduced himself as Jack Hench. Then he presented them with a gemless, gold ring that had moving parts.

"You're showing us a ring. Why?" Ron inspected it closely and touched it. As soon as he did, his hand shook and he got the weirdest feeling.

Kim pulled out the Kimmunicator and scanned it. "It's no ordinary ring Ron. It operates on a-"

"Molecular level." Ron chorused with Kim as she completed her sentence. Kim shot him a weird look, but didn't press the point.

"Well well, both of you are smart ones. That's exactly right. This is my molecular muscle enhancer." Jack Hench supplied. He activated a screen in his office and showed them a video of a skinny guy putting on the ring, then instantly buffing up to the level of an olympic body builder.

Ron was impressed. "Creepy, but that totally rocks."

Hench seemed to agree. "That's what I said when those crazy kids in R&D came up with it."

"Instant muscles."

"Exactly. Does it get any better?" Then Hench's shoulders dropped. "Then that jerk Drakken had to send in Shego. She stole the whole batch. Except for this one." He held up the one that he showed them.

Kim kept glaring with her arms crossed. "And we should care about this.. Why?"

"Miss Possible, you fight a lot of villains right?"

"Yea..."

"And they usually have, henchmen. Right?"

"Uh...Yea."

Hench turned around and shot them a sinister grin. "Where do you think the name came from?" Ron and Kim shot each other incredulous looks. "Here at HenchCo, we are building a better breed of henchmen. I'd like to think that we are performing a service for the community."

"The evil community." Kim was seriously pissed now.

Ron seemed contemplative. " Mr. Hench exploiting the darker and wild side of capitalism aside, but, I mean, come on. That technology in Drakken's hands? Even that idiot would be a dangerous threat."

"Good point. Okay, we are on it." Kim started to exit, but then returned and grabbed the ring from Hench. "We might need it on the investigation."

Once they were outside and on the VTOL jet again, Kim felt compelled to ask. "How did you know it was a molecular device without scanning like I did?"

Ron looked at his hand. "My...hand vibrated slightly. Kim, I think I'm a little bit sensitive to molecular manipulation after vibrating them to superspeed daily."

Kim put the ring in her pocket. "Well, let's keep it away from you for now then." Then she remembered another thing. "What was Barkin grilling you about today?"

Ron sighed, remembering the whole deal with his identity crisis. "He was trying to help I think. With something Dad said."

"That unsigned Bar Mitzvah paper?"

"Well, it was that at first but then..." He stole glances from Kim's concerned face. "My dad told me that I should concern myself with the question of what kind of man am I. And I don't have the slightest idea."

Kim rolled her eyes. Ron could be such an idiot sometimes. "Ron, I'm gonna say something I didn't think I'd ever tell you."

"What?"

"You're thinking too much. I could tell you what kind of a man you are if you asked."

"Really?! Damn Kim, you are lifesaver, lay it on me. Pull back no punches!" Ron took out a notepad from his backpack to note all his faults.

"Let's see, kind, caring, loyal to a fault. Endearingly funny. Good with pets and children. Prone to being a klutz. Prone to getting bigheaded, but that's going away slowly. Have silly fears. Oh, and, _ a superhero who saves people for no personal gain._ "

Ron just blushed after being stunned.

Kim snorted. "What, did you expect a bad assessment from _ me?_ Your best friend? Really Ron, for all your faults, there is no other way to describe you than a good man. Now stop obsessing about stupid things. And by the way, that's one of your faults."

Ron smiled like an idiot rest of the way.

* * *

Kim grumbled. No sign of Drakken and his crew was found out. She and Wade were discussing that.

"Are you sure we can't find them through face recognition or something?"

Wade snorted. _"Kim, I certainly don't have access to a technology even FBI gets limited uses from. No, we need a better solution."_

Kim held out the muscle enhancing ring. "Couldn't we use this? Maybe it has an EM signature?"

_"Already ran that test Kim. When not in use, it' just a piece of high tech metal."_

"So if someone puts it on, it'd be different?"

Wade scratched his head. _ "Well, maybe. That much molecular manipulation is impossible to hide, especially if I am looking for the signs. I learned a lot about that with Ron's..."_ Wade went silent as Kim was both in school and near Monique.

Kim got the underlying message. "Yea, okay. So we need to put it on." She held the ring out for Monique. "Wanna help with the investigation Mon?"

The dark skinned fashion guru shook her head fervently. "No way in hell you are getting me to buff up girl. Try it yourself."

Kim was not looking forward to stretching her own clothes either. Which left them with Ron. Whom was chatting with Tara after classes. She approached the couple and greeted her blonde teammate.

"Hi Tara. Sorry, need to take Ron from you."

Said blonde smiled. "Oh, hero work! Give me all the details later!" She waved and walked off towards Bonnie.

Ron turned to Kim. "So, do we have a location for Drakken?"

"Not yet, but Wade has an idea. He thinks the molecular enhancement would give off a specific energy reading on his satellite scans."

"Like mine does when I do my thing? Shoulda guessed. So what's the problem?"

Kim looked uncomfortable. "So we need you to put it on."

"Why me, you could easily put it on and try it out. Don't tell me you don't want some extra strength?" Kim just looked sheepishly at him. "Oh my God, you just don't wanna buff up!"

"Sorry, cheer leader outfits don't go well with me becoming a triple trained muscle monster."

Ron grunted. "But sure, the Ronster would have no problems with gaining muscles in your stead.."

"I thought you'd jump at the chance to have that much muscles."

They exited the school and walked towards their places. "Kim, in case you didn't notice. I run. A lot. A physique like that would hinder me. And on another note, I got a real weird feeling from that ring by just touching it."

"Your molecules probably just reacted to a manipulator device. Just turn it on for a second, enough to get Wade a reading."

Ron grunted again and took the ring wordlessly. Then he rotated and activated the ring.

Suddenly, Kim felt her hair getting electrified. Furthermore, some stray rocks on the ground started to levitate. Kim looked around to see if anyone was near, but they were in the clear.

Then Ron's entire body bulged up and his already improving physique suddenly turned it an Olympian's. His eyes were as wide as saucers. "This feels really weird Kim!"

And then he took a step forward. Suddenly, Kim heard a deafening thunder and was launched back in the air about ten meters. She rolled and came to a stop on the pavement. She turned and looked at Ron... Or wherever he had gone off to.

In front of her was a trench in the _ asphalt_. In and around a single long gash on the ground, things were devastated. Some cars were turned over and many lightposts were ripped out from the ground.

Her Kimmunicator beeped after she picked herself off the ground. Wade's panicky voice greeted her.

_"Kim, what the heck happened?! I was listening in to track the energy signature, and after Ron activated it, the whole spectrum was bombarded with noise!"_

Kim gulped. "Uh...Wade, where is Ron now?" All of a sudden a second window activated on her device and Ron's disheveled face was shown.

_"I'm in DENVER! And currently crashed into a building, I gotta change!"_

Wade could be seen running a trace. _"Kim, the satellite imagery shows that Ron is indeed in Denver. Some seventy miles off your position. What in the hell..."_

_"I couldn't stop until I pulled off the ring! This stuff is crazy Wade! I can't run seventy miles in half a minute!"_

_"Well, you just did. And if I have to guess, it's the ring. Get that thing to me, with your normal speed and let me get a look."_

Wade's connection was cut, but Ron's was still active on his watch. Kim saw the masked face of Flash after a few seconds.

_"Next time we try playing ping pong with our molecules, it's your turn."_

* * *

Wade shook off the after effects of the muscle enhancer after turning it off. Since Ron testing it was out of the question and Kim was still too image conscious, he had to give it a go. Of course, turning into a muscle-bound eleven year old was not the best experience he could ask for.

Still, that had given him a chance to fully analyze both the energy signature caused by molecular enhancement and the ring itself. He had ideas, as always. But those were for later.

He handed the ring back to Kim after getting done with all the tasks. "I've found the users of the rings from a retasked satellite scan. Drakken and his goons are at Las Vegas Las Vegas resort."

After a ride set up by Wade, the teen heroes and the naked mole rat arrived at Las Vegas. The resort itself was fairly easy to find, all things considered. Kim walked upto the weirdest receptionist she had ever seen in her life.

She rang the bell on the reception desk.

"Welcome to Las Vegas Las Vegas... Chicky baby." The reception guy talked with an over thee top accent and tipped his hat towards Kim extravagantly.

"...Yeah. Hi. Have you seen this guy?" Kim showed him a picture of Drakken on her Kimmunicator.

The man took a close look and then straightened his sunglasses. "A-ring-a-ding-ding, baby."

Ron asked from nearby. "Was that a yes or a no?"

Apparently, it was a yes. And apparently, Drakken had already infiltrated the resort and went into the pool area. Kim and Ron made their way over there. The back door to the pool was, however, opened from inside. So Kim tried to get it to no avail.

She then took Rufus from Ron and instructed him. "Okay, Rufus. You slip through and unlock the gate, from the inside." She left Rufus on top of the metal gate. Rufus nodded and ran over to the other side.

Rufus easily opened the gate and let them in. Kim took Rufus and put her on her shoulder, then grabbed a newspaper from nearby. She then reclined on a deck chair and hid her face behind the paper. "Ron, take cover as well. We can't afford to be seen."

Ron shrugged. "Oh, don't worry about lil' old me." Ron went nearby the open bar and grabbed a serving boy's jacket. Then he put a cap on which he found on another deck chair. Then he started to go around and _ actually take orders from people. _ Kim just sighed and let it go.

Kim noticed a group appearing on top of the resort's roof. A peek from behind the newspaper easily revealed them as Drakken, Shego and instant muscle men.

It was not only Kim that noticed them though. Professor Dementor, who was reclining on a chair himself, snapped his fingers and pointed towards Drakken and his gang. They had already begun to scale down onto the pool area. A number of Dementor's henchmen opened the windows on the resort and cut their ropes.

Drakken and his entire possé fell into the pool. Much to Kim's amusement, it should be noted. The blue mad genius slowly climbed out of the pool and confronted Dementor.

The professor with the German accent held out a cylindrical device and taunted Drakken. "Looking for 'zis?"

"The pan dimensional vortex inducer!" Drakken exclaimed.

Neither Ron nor Kim had any idea what it was. Ron came near Kim with a serving tray and held out a soft drink for her while speaking. "What do the rings have to do with the pan dimensional vortex inducer?"

Kim took the drink and sipped from it as they watched from the other side of the pool.

Drakken yelled out to his henchmen. "Use the power of the rings! Get the pan dimensional vortex inducer!"

"Oooohhh." The teen heroes chorused as Drakken's rather simplistic plan came to light. Dementor retreated into the resort, with Drakken and his goons on his tail.

Ron and Kim sneaked into the resort and observed the situation from top of a lounge sign. Kim made a call to Wade to learn what was going on.

"Wade, what do you have on Dementor?"

_"Okay, several days ago, the pan dimensional vortex inducer was stolen from a research facility on Rocky Mountains."_

"Why am I finding out about this just now?"

Wade deadpanned. _"Uhm, local, federal and international law enforcement are on the case. They kinda thought they didn't need you."_

"Well, I guess they thought wrong." Kim exclaimed with a rather haughty attitude. "Come on Ron, let's move."

They jumped down and started searching for both parties. Kim spotted the first one. "Ron look, Professor Dementor!" Sure enough, the German professor was on a escalator with his numerous henchmen.

Ron spotted the second group. "Drakken!"

Drakken saw them as well. "It's Kim Possible! Get her!" Drakken's augmented henchmen moved on Kim, but she jumped and flipped way above them and landed near Drakken and Shego.

Drakken saw Dementor getting away. "Shego, dispatch the teenager! Henchmen, get to Dementor and get me MY pan dimensional vortex inducer."

The henchmen facing Ron turned and ran up the escalator after Dementor. Ron was confused. "Soooo, no one's gonna attack me?"

Kim dodged a swipe from Shego. "Ron, get that vortex inducer."

Ron grumbled as he started to run after Dementor and Drakken's henchmen. "Sure, she gets a nice one on one and I get to mess with at least twenty dudes with enhanced muscles."

He reached the upper level and ran after the henchmen. Drakken's and Dementor's people were duking it out rather rough, and Ron side-stepped a flying henchmen as he watched them. Drakken and Dementor were currently engaged in a silly slap fight.

Ron grinned and ran into the chaos. With his natural abilities and a little bit of cheating by slowed time, he easily got past many henchmen and approached their employers. Drakken was reaching for the vortex inducer that Dementor was holding in his left hand. Ron simply took it as he appeared behind him.

"Thank you." He then ran away.

"Ze sidekick!"

"The buffoon got it! After him!"

The opposing parties stopped fighting and all went after Ron. Who screamed in a very girly manner as he ran for a nearby door. He burst into the neighbouring room.

And was greeted by many rabbis in the room. He grinned and said "Shalom all!" Then he looked behind him. "Crap."

He ran further inside the room and slid under a table covered in long cloth. A hand opened it and Ron was greeted by a familiar face.

"Ronald? Ronald Stoppable?" Rabbi Katz was staring at him funnily.

"Oh, hi Rabbi Katz! What are you doing here?"

"It's a... rabbinical conference. Ronald, are you in trouble?"

Ron grinned. "Well, if you'd call keeping a top secret tech gizmo away from villains trouble, yes, I am." Then he remembered his unsigned Bar Mitzvah certificate. "By the way, did you know that you forgot to sign my Bar Mitzvah certificate?"

Katz rubbed his chin. "Really? Certainly I'll sign it as soon as I get back to Middleton."

"Thanks Rabbi. Now, I gotta hide." The henchmen poured into the room and looked for Ron. Meanwhile, Ron was checking the door from under the table. Suddenly, the table was pulled away and the blond teen was exposed to everyone. He waved nervously. "Hi."

One of the henchmen made a move to grab him. Ron jumped back and avoided it. All the henchmen slowly began to approach him. Ron had an idea. He held out his free hand.

"Stop! Do you know who I am?!"

One of Drakken's henchmen answered. "Uh, the sidekick?"

Ron nodded. "Correct, but not completely! You see, I am not a simple sidekick! I've a special power!"

The goons and the rabbis who were on the far side of the room looked puzzled. Another goon laughed. This one had seen Ron drop his pants a few times. "What, losing your drawers in fights?"

Ron grinned. "Well, there is that, but I'm far more special than you can imagine!"

"Just tell us already so we can pummel you."

"I'm no ordinary sidekick. I'm a... High School Runningback!"

Everyone in the room blanked out and some even facepalmed. One of the goons grumbled. "So we care because?"

"You care because evading and escaping big muscular idiots is pretty much the job description for me. And I've a 4.5 seconds record on forty yard dashes, just saying." Ron answered with mirth. "So, try and catch me."

Then he plowed straight into the mass of goons and started evading them. For good measure, he cheated by letting himself go into super speed momentarily and reviewing the best way out.

After making nearly twenty enhanced henchmen fall upon each other, Ron ran out the door he came in previously, while waving a hand to the rabbis in the room. He came face to face with Drakken and Dementor, both breathing heavily. Drakken made a move for him as soon as he saw Ron.

"The...buffoon... Give me the... oh you know what I want." He made a weak attempt at grabbing it.

Ron simply side-stepped the tired looking blue genius. Then he gave him a slight push with his finger, which was enough to knock Drakken to the ground. He turned to Dementor. "Wanna try your hand at it?" He held out the vortex inducer and waved it.

Dementor assessed the situation. "Lookz like ze sidekick ztepped up hiz game. Very well, you win 'zis round." He simply got out of Ron's way. Ron smiled and walked to the escalators.

Kim and Shego were still at it, but Shego stopped fighting when she saw Ron descend without anyone trailing. She addressed him after jumping back from Kim. "Not that I particularly give a shit, but where is Dr. D? We kinda car-pooled here."

Ron signaled towards behind himself. "Catching his breath after his...uh, 'fight' with Dementor."

Shego grinned sinisterly and charged her hands with plasma. "Good to know." She fired twin blasts at Ron. He just looked at the oncoming blasts with a disinterested look, and jumped sideways off the escalator. While jumping, his pants got caught in the escalator's sidebar... And was ripped off of him.

Ron landed on the ground level with his boxers showing. He groaned loudly. "Oh maan, I had made it to fifty-three days without a pants mishap!"

Kim ran to him and grabbed his arm. "Let's go, now that we have the vortex inducer, we can leave."

"What about the rings on Drakken's guys?"

Kim grinned and pointed outside the resort. "Oh, I think that'll be handled." A whole lot of police cars were outside and they were pouring in.

Shego knew when a battle was lost, so she split. But not before making her last attempt at making Kim angry. "Well well, looks like Ronnie-poo is stepping up! Better hold onto him Princess, or I might snatch him!"

Kim started to run after her for that, but Ron held her arm. "Meh, let her go. She is just jealous that sidekick badicalness is on my side, not hers."

Kim made a small motion towards Ron's pants with her head.

"Well, I said sidekick badicalness, not chance with holding on to my pants."

* * *

Ron walked into the school without Kim. He was wearing one of his hoodies, even though almost everyone else had switched to winter coats already. He had discovered that his heightened metabolism was allowing him to protect his body temperature somewhat better than a normal human.

Unlike their usual routine, Ron had to deviate this morning, _again, _ as people were rather inattentive in the morning, and prone to accidents, in traffic or otherwise. This was the seventh time in the last month where he had to run out of the house early in the morning to either rush someone to hospital or put out a fire.

As he retrieved the book he'd need for the chem class, someone grabbed his arm and demanded his attention. He turned to see the petite blonde that was his girlfriend. His eyes got stuck on her chest, and not for the usual reasons why a male's eyes would do that.

"Hello Ron! Busy morning?" She saw where he was looking and smiled. "You see something you like?"

Ron shook his head and looked at her eyes. "It's not that but... I didn't know you were a Flash fan." For Tara was not sporting one of her usual stylish shirts, but a rather bright red t-shirt with a lightning bolt emblazoned on the front. This was one of the Flash t-shirts he had seen around.

Tara whirled a little to show off her ensemble. She was wearing simple jeans with the t-shirt, but made it look quite good nonetheless. "What can I say, I seem to have a weak spot for heroes." She smiled brightly and took his arm.

"I'll be sure to get Kim's number for you then. And I'll only ask for a recording of you kissing her, from three different angles." Ron didn't miss a beat as he pretended to be clueless.

"I already have her number, and share a locker room with her, so it's your loss."

"Maaan. I never get a break." He suddenly froze as he felt soft lips landing on his right cheek. He turned to Tara, the owner of said lips. "Wha... What was that for?"

Tara just smiled. "No reason." They walked off to the class.

Unbeknownst to either of them, Kim was watching from the other end of the hallway. She didn't realize that she was holding onto her book a little too tightly.

* * *

Flash made his evening rounds around the entirety of Tri City. It was a quiet Thursday night, with almost nothing requesting his attention. Most of his patrol this evening was spent on making a show to the people that he was there, watching out for them.

It was something Ron had found out that he enjoyed. Making it so that people felt safe, protected. It showed in their faces as the red streak laced with yellow lightning made an appearance. They were happy when they saw him. Even the cops, who had standing orders to take him in, at least for a civil investigation, smiled as he passed.

Being a watcher for three cities, even if they were very close to each other, was a tough job. Ron had begun to realize that nights like this was what made it worthwhile. A chance to see the good he could do further on.

After he felt that this night was done, he begun to make his way towards Middleton, and his house. However, he never made it there, for he had spotted something very curious.

A green streak was approaching Middleton suburban area from the skies. It was fast, and it was closing into the general area his house was in. Feeling cautious, Ron decided not to allow it to get too close to the suburbs.

Problem was, the green streak was flying, and he had no way of reaching it. He decided to run close and get a closer look.

It was a simple matter of catching up at his speed, get ahead and situate himself on top of the roof of the mall. As the streak got closer, Ron realized it was a man, literally emitting a green light.

"Hey! OI!" Ron waved his arms like crazy to get the man's attention. As the man got closer, he saw Ron's antics and slowed down, finally settling onto the roof.

Ron decided to get the upper hand in this conversation. " Okay mister, I don't know why you are flying or how, but I'd sure like to know what you are doing in my city." He also got a closer look as the man walked upto Ron. He was wearing a dark green suit, itself glowing with green energy. The man had a domino mask on his face, which Ron found really outdated and silly looking. His eyes were glowing green as well.

Apparently, it was a rather friendly man. "Oh, hi. I didn't think I'd see you here, Mr. Flash. I'm a huge fan."

Ron was puzzled. That was uncharacteristically friendly for someone seemingly just flying into the city without any prior announcement. His recent run in with Grodd had made him wary against any superpowered beings.

"Well, thanks... But you didn't answer my question."

The man held out his hand to shake Ron's. "I am... Green Lantern, and I was here to speak with someone I know. He lives in Middleton, or so I was told."

"You don't know where he lives?" Ron took the hand and shook it, and also took the chance to inspect this guy up close. He had brown hair, an impressive physique and...

_A green glowing ring on his right hand._ Ron suddenly recalled back another green ring.

"Ah, I was just going to pick up a phonebook, really." The so-called Green Lantern scratched his chin.

Ron had seen that exact move, just a week ago. And with the ring, the hair, he could guess who was under that stupid domino mask. He decided to gamble. "Hal Jordan?"

The Green Lantern did a double take as he stumbled. "How... What... How did you...?"

Ron smiled, now being sure that he was correct. Meaning, his suspicions of the green ring becoming an origin story was also correct. He decided that he could trust this man, as Hal Jordan he had met as Ron the sidekick was a kindred soul.

He undid the straps on his mask and removed the hood, revealing his face. The domino mask on the Green Lantern's face also disappeared suddenly and revealed Hal Jordan's face and his now-brown eyes.

"Surprise." Ron made a peace sign with his fingers. "I told you that entire deal reeked of an origin story."

Hal just snorted. "Man, you have no idea what happened." He gave Ron a once-over. "And you apparently, are twice the hero you advertise yourself to be. Teen sidekick _ and _ speeding hero? Man..."

Ron waved dismissively. "Forget about me, just spill. What happened, why are you here, the whole shebang."

Hal walked to a nearby vent cover and sat on it. "It's... really complicated."

Ron sat on the edge of another cover. "Well, go on then. I kinda have to be at home in about in half an hour."

"Wow, superhero with a curfew. And I thought I was in a tight spot... Anyway." The older man pointed to his ring. "So basically, this ring is both a badge and the all-around tool of a universe-wide police force. In the most basic way I can explain."

Ron's eyes grew to the size of saucers and Hal thought that they twinkled. "That is so cool that I can't express it with words. And you got chosen as the new badass in town?"

Hal sighed and his head fell forwards. "Well... Not quite. Apparently, the guy I buried was a bigwig Lantern hero. See, all Lanterns get a space sector to protect and this guy was charged with the sector Earth is in. He was kind of a big deal."

Ron had a basic idea, having read so many comic books with similar stories. "And since you got his ring, you got the rookie treatment? Classic hero's journey, afterwards the hero usually becomes a badass himself."

Hal smiled, but only a little bit. "It's not entirely like a comic book, unfortunately. If it was... Well..." He looked at the ring. "See, apparently these rings use the Willpower in the universe. Stronger your will is, stronger you are, for the will is the only limitation to the rings. And on top of that, they choose their users... The rings themselves."

Ron shrugged. "Sounds cool. Badical even."

Hal shook his head. "After you and Kim got me away and to Carol, I kinda...Used the ring and the lantern by accident. After that, it somehow took me to another planet. _ In an entirely another part of the universe. _ So I got through an induction process, my ring's higher functions were activated... And I started training."

Ron nodded. "Naturally, if they are cops, they'd train you in their guns."

"Only these rings are not simple guns. You have to be fearless to use them. That is the job description, fearless. And I gotta tell you... I... I...am not fearless." He raised his head and looked at Ron. "And since I basically have no idea what the hell am I doing, I decided someone like you... A fearless guy could help."

Ron gave a sharp short laugh. "Me? Fearless?" He cracked up and started laughing for a while. He barely pulled himself together. "Dude, you have picked the _ worst guy on the planet _ for such a conversation."

Hal shot him a questioning glance. "Look, I know I'm a bit older than you, so it feels weird to ask you about this stuff... But you have hero experience _ with and without_ a mask. I mean, who is more fearless than Ron Stoppable slash the Flash?"

"First off, props on the rhyming part there. Second, Ron Stoppable is who he is because of all the damned fears. Your head would explode if you knew what my greatest fear is."

"What is it then?"

"Camp..." Ron took a deep breath. "Wannaweep. It's... _ a place of evil._"

"A camp, really?"

"Toxic mutating waters in Lake Wannaweep. Bloodthirsty animals in and out of the camp. Man eating plants. List goes on." Ron then waved his hand. "But you don't wanna hear about my bad camp memories."

"I dunno, it seems like there's a fun story there." Then Hal got serious. "Look, I don't know what to do. I'm a combat pilot. That's all I know. Policing an entire space sector? What the hell do I know about that?"

"As much as I know about patrolling three cities at nights. You at least have the necessary physical conditioning."

"I just don't know... In training, it was shown to me that... I am full of fears... And that weakens my constructs. I'm just not what they want."

Ron shook his head. This man had basically got his ass kicked, and now was doubting his ability to be better. His conversation with Arrow came to mind.

_Guess we all go through a crisis of faith in ourselves at some point._

He wished Oliver was here. Ron knew that he was the last person that should be advising, well, anyone. But he'd try.

"Look, you said the ring chooses the Lantern, no?"

"Yes."

"And it never makes a mistake?"

"That's what my trainer told me. But, I mean, with me, it should have..."

"Okay, Hal. I think we have some rapport here that I can safely do this." Ron closed in superspeed and smacked the back of Hal Jordan's head. "You're thinking too much."

"Ow!...I... What?"

"Look, I met Arrow. He doesn't have a superpower, he wasn't obligated to actually be a vigilante. He chose this life. The alien in Metropolis, you'd remember how the last of his kind almost invaded the planet a few years back?"

"Yea, taking over the Net and TV. Not a particularly nice day."

"Well, the dude was hiding amongst us, but then he chose to stand up and fight. And then you have to look at me." Ron pointed to himself. "Unlike all those others, I have nothing. Nothing to show to you. A freak accident at a particle accelerator, and boom! I have superspeeed."

"Your point?"

"My point is that I still question myself that if I'm just a kid who got struck by a lightning bolt. I have nothing that can prove to me that I'm good enough to do what I do. You? Dude, you have a certified badge that proves you are good enough. The ring chose you. The ring that never makes a mistake chose you to be this interstellar cop. You have literally every reason to believe that you were destined for this."

Ron settled down from his tirade and sighed. "So stop being a sourpuss and accept your destiny, or whatever. Self-doubt and pity are mostly my domain in this part of the world."

Hal Jordan looked at Ron like he was a different person. Like he was his equal, both in age and stature. "You... are something else, Ron Stoppable." He looked at his ring. "So you think I can do this?"

"I **know ** you can do this. Besides, I'm telling you again. Interstellar cop. With an all powerful ring! This is so ferociously cool that the words for it haven't been invented yet!" Ron jumped in his place like a little kid.

Hal nodded, mostly to himself. "Alright. I can do this." He stood up and smiled to Ron. "Dude, I'd say that bolt of lightning didn't strike you by chance. I'd say it chose you."

Ron blushed faintly. "Yea...Anywaaay. I kinda have to go now. Mom's gonna be pissed if I miss dinner. _ Again._ ... For the _fifth _ time this month."

Jordan extended his hand. Ron took it and they shaked on it. Then something popped into Ron's head. "Okay, there is one thing. Why were you gonna talk to me, and not Kim?"

Hal Jordan's cheeks reddened. "Well, she... kinda scares me."

Ron laughed as he went over the edge of the roof and put his mask back on. "See you later man." And then, with a blast, he was off towards his house.

Hal Jordan flew off, away towards the atmosphere and out of Earth.

* * *

Kim put on a simple dress she had bought for the formal. It was nothing fancy, it was a simple red one piece that didn't reveal anything more than her neckline and her legs below her knees.

She was not even sure why she was going to the winter formal. In the past, Ron and her had went these things as casually dressed friends. Only Rufus used to put on a tiny bowtie to showcase that they were going to a dance.

Now with Ron having a girlfriend that he was going to the dance with, and with her own planned date being unavailable, she didn't want to go. What would she do anyway? Only, Monique did not let her sit in the house and insisted they hang out together. Apparently, the fashion guru had failed to secure a date as well.

On a somewhat close house, Tara finished getting ready. She had worn a ice blue knee high skirt, complemented by a fluffy pink camisole that her mother had called 'very cute.' She was going to wear her winter coat over the ensemble as soon as Ron would arrive.

Speaking of the said blonde, he was currently running along the side of the freeway leading out of Lowerton and towards Denver. Another would-be high speed car chase in the freeway, and naturally Wade had called him as he was getting ready for picking up Tara.

Now here he was, running on the freeway. He couldn't go full speed, no matter how much he wanted. Going supersonic with cars around was a really bad idea. He had seen that on his first week as Flash. Smashed windows and drivers scaring so bad that they drive the cars off the road was enough incentive for Ron to keep his speed on the down low when he was in traffic. Or near other people.

So he made his way to the speeding car. It looked like a kid's bike to him, in terms of relative speed. He just opened the passenger side door and quickly sat on the empty seat.

"What the fuck?!" The driver, a rather nasty looking dude with a scar on his chin, made a move for his gun on his belt. Ron simply took it and disassembled it as the man watched.

Ron grinned. "Eyes on the road. We wouldn't want an accident."

The man stood frozen as he looked at Ron. "The..The... F-Flash!"

Ron rolled his eyes. "Yea yea, Flash and all that, look pal, I've got somewhere to be, so sorry about this." He just punched the guy with some superspeed and knocked him out. He pulled the guy to the passenger side, switched sides with him and simply pressed down on the brakes. The car stopped with a screech.

The cops stopped their cars and filed out of them. Ron simply pulled the guy out and threw him on the asphalt. One of the officers quickly cuffed him, while another one moved to shake Ron's hand.

"Nice work Flash, thanks for helping. Would you want to-"

Ron waved off. "Look, I really, _ really_ have to be somewhere. So let's do this dance later." He blasted off towards Middleton.

A few minutes later, Ron was standing in front of Tara's house, waiting for her to come out. He had barely made it on time, and his hair was a mess. Even more so than usual.

Tara came out, seeing what he was wearing. He had black jeans and a dark red shirt, clothing he had procured for this evening. On top of the shirt, he was wearing a black leather jacket. It didn't look particularly new, but it made Ron look really nice.

Ron smiled at Tara as he took her arm. "You look nice. Real nice."

"Thanks, you don't look so bad yourself. Although.." Tara reached and straightened Ron's shirt. "Those look a bit scrumpled."

Ron scratched his neck. "Sorry about that... Uh, it was kinda in my pack... I kinda had to run an errand."

Tara knew. She had seen the car chase while her father watched it. So she didn't press it further. Ron pointed towards his scooter. "Shall we?"

When they made it to the school gym, place was already packed. Unfortunately, many heads turned towards them as Ron walked in with Tara. He had desired to enter quietly, dance quietly and leave quietly. The whole spotlight deal was so not his thing. He had tasted it when Kim had forcefully changed his hairstyle, and while he had liked it, he didn't like the guy staring at him in the mirror afterwards.

Same went for Tara. The girl was much like himself when it came to matters like this. Apparently preferring to have Bonnie on the foreground. Ron had surmised that was one reason why the two cheerleaders were such good friends.

They blushed and quickly scurried off to a corner of the room, away from center dancing area as much as possible.

Kim had seen the whole thing of course. Monique had whistled a little as she had seen the couple.

"Damn girl, that boy cleans up well when he wants to. That jersey and baggy pants are not doing him justice."

"I guess." Kim answered half heartedly. Her eyes caught a movement on the ground. It was Rufus, scampering towards her. She knelt down and let him climb to her shoulder. Rufus looked a bit shaken up, and somewhat annoyed. "Not having a great time either?"

Rufus just blew a raspberry. It chittered animatedly, with Kim picking up " Ron ran. Too fast." Kim nodded. Rufus didn't like tagging with Ron when he was doing his thing.

Bonnie suddenly appeared from behind Kim and plopped down to the chair near her. "Having trouble finding someone to tolerate you K.? Now that your former lapdog is properly distanced."

"Bonnie, I'm so not in the mood for your bullshit." Kim took her glass from the table that contained water.

Bonnie flicked her hair. "Josh decided to escape the dance completely to avoid you then? Now that hottie is more intelligent than I gave him credit for."

The glass Kim was holding suddenly shattered and a low growl escaped the redhead's throat. Bonnie looked taken aback and stood up, but apparently not enough to shut up.

"You should take your girlfriend to bed Monique. Poor thing is shaking from frustration, maybe a little girl-on-girl action would release her tension."

Monique kept Kim seated on the chair by pushing down on her shoulders. She glared at Bonnie while straining to keep the stronger girl still. "Back off Bonnie. It's not like your boytoy is with you today."

Bonnie flicked her hair again. "Unlike Miss Priss over there, I've no trouble finding partners. See, it's called having class." She held the arm of a nearby boy. "Jason dear, I think it's time we rocked the dancing area." She walked off with the said Jason.

Monique heard Kim growling with a lowered voice. "One of these days... One of these days, I'll murder that bitch."

The black-haired beauty sat near Kim and helped her clean the glass shards off her hands and the table. After a while, two girls started critiquing the dancing couples. Many couples were naturally off-key and somewhat awkward, so it made their endeavour a really fun one.

Monique got asked to dance by a few free prospects that had arrived the dance dateless. Same was not true for Kim. And it annoyed her. Not that she'd dance with anyone who asked, but it was annoying to be singled out.

Her mood did not improve from there either. It was easy to catch a glimpse of Tara and Ron dancing. Whether it be a slow dance or a fast paced track that set the mood, those two were somehow grabbing attention. Of course, Ron's various antics during fast paced tracks were the explanation, but the slow dances were another matter entirely.

She overheard some people commenting over the better part of an hour.

"Didn't know Stoppable had this in him. He is not half bad." A rather annoying female senior had commented while licking her lips. Kim got the first vein popping there.

"Dude, I'm telling you, we gotta get Stoppable to teach us. If he can bag 'that', he can get even us dates." This was Junior, a senior student Kim had met during her brief stint at Barkin's detention. Then he noticed Kim sitting nearby. "Woah, cheerleader. You look like you wanna kill someone."

Kim growled at the clueless airhead. The guy seemed to get the message even in his clearly medicated state and backed off.

Then the coup de grâce came in the form of a football player, one of Ron's teammates. Kim didn't know his name, but she knew this was a somewhat pompous ass, contrary to his friend Brick. He was with Marcella, another cheer leader.

"Telling ya babe, the dude's something else. All this time we thought he was a wuss, and he totally pulls a one eighty. Nice to see him leave that red headed freak's side and get it on with that blonde friend of yours."

Apparently, he was unaware that Kim was sitting literally ten feet away. Marcella's chiding voice came as a reply. "That red headed freak's my captain and a totally awesome girl."

"Who beats up dudes around the world for kicks. And I saw how she went at it with that green chick at TV, can't tell me that's normal babe. There was definitely some fire there, and I don't mean the green kind."

Marcella snorted. "Shut up Mark, you don't know what you are talking about." As Kim listened intently with her head lowered to the table, Marcella made a comment that froze Kim's blood. "Though I'm happy for Tara. She deserves a fine piece of ass like that, especially one that comes with a nice boy packaging."

Kim felt a blood rage approaching her, and Monique was dancing some basketball player some ways afar in the gym.

_So the entire school __**wanted **__ Ron to get away from me?! What are these people, freaking Seinfeld makes more sense than these idiots!_

Then her eyes caught the dancing couple again. She couldn't help herself to think this time.

_I wish Ron was here instead of dancing with that blue eyed sorceress... Wait, what?!_

Kim's eyes widened and she froze in shock as she heard her own thoughts. She was getting jealous over Ron so that she despised Tara? This was so not her style.

_Get it together Possible! You are just angry that Josh can't be here and dance with you. _

Her sensible side, the side that she recently began to hate, chimed in nonetheless.

_Or you are angry that you got on three dates, barely got to speak for real and __** never **__ came close to being a real couple. When Ron did it on his first try._

While she was musing, tracks changed again and the dance gained some tempo. She heard some people taking the chairs nearby and sit down near her.

"Hiya KP!" Ron was waving at her in close distance, as she was lost in thought. He turned to Tara. "She does this when she is angry about something." He snapped his fingers to get Kim's attention.

Kim finally broke away from her daze and realized who were sitting at her table. She quickly gathered herself and rose to her full sitting height. "Oh, hello guys. Didn't see you there."

Ron grinned. "Yea, you were pretty much killing someone off in dreamland, easy to tell."

"Ron! I was just thinking." Kim turned to Tara, who was smiling almost constantly. "So, how's our boy dancing? Can you feel your feet still?"

Tara shook her head and laughed. "Actually, he is pretty good. I think he'd make an excellent dancer if he wanted and took some lessons."

Ron snorted. "I'll take dancing lessons when I want my manhood cards fully taken away. I've so few left as it is after losing my pants on a monthly basis."

Tara giggled and Kim couldn't help herself but smile. No matter what, you could count on Ron to lift her spirits.

Ron glanced around and spotted Monique. "Well I gotta say, Monique doesn't shy away. I think that's the fifth guy she's dancing with today." He looked at Kim. "Okay, maybe mister Arts Slash Music is not around, but that doesn't mean you should sit and mope KP. You coulda danced with the guys that asked you, I'm sure Josh wouldn't mind."

Kim grumbled as Ron reminded her of the annoying sitch that she was in. "No one asked." She growled out.

Ron didn't get it. "Wha, what did you say Kim?" He held out a hand over his left ear and leaned in.

Tara shot a knowing smile to Kim and cut him off. "Ron, don't you wanna take Kim up for a dance? I'm kinda tired anyway."

Kim glanced at the sweet blonde, but found no trace of any underlying motives. Ron had shrugged and enthusiastically stood up. "C'mon KP, let's bust the Team Possible moves!"

Kim mouthed a silent 'thank you' to Tara who just smiled. The song was a nice, fast track that allowed the hero duo to showcase some nice tandem moves they had perfected back when they used to dance together at school functions.

Tara watched them for a minute before someone sat near her. "This is a bad idea Tara dear."

"We've been over this B. Hope doesn't think like you do, why are you?" Tara only spared a glance towards Bonnie before resuming to watch Team Possible dancing.

Bonnie sighed and put her hand on top of Tara's. "Honey, I'm not talking about the crushing or even dating Stoppable. But you are..." The brunette stopped and shot a look towards the dancing duo.

"Falling in love with Tin-Teeth's boy is a bad idea."

Tara sat without answering, instead watching Kim's now smiling face. Bonnie continued.

"You know he's hers in reality. You know he'll run to her the moment she wakes up. You are just going to get hurt."

"Maybe. Maybe not. I know a bit more about Ron than you do B."

Bonnie felt frustrated, but it was because it made her heart cringe as she watched her best friend setting herself up for heartbreak.

"Look, I don't doubt he really likes you. And even though I harped on him a lot in the past, almost everyone knows what a good guy he is. The moment Tin-Teeth wakes up and sees what she has under her nose, she'll get him. That instant."

Tara turned to Bonnie with a little bit of fire in her eyes. "Ron is more than just Kim's sidekick. He is not spineless like you make him out to be!"

Bonnie sighed again and stood up. "Tara, I just don't want to see you get hurt. Not on the account of that red headed Miss Perfect."

Tara turned away from Bonnie. "It's on the account of Ron, the sweetest kindest boy in this entire place!" Her good mood was somewhat destroyed now. Bonnie just patted her on her shoulder and left.

The song ended shortly afterwards. Kim and Ron returned to the table. Tara took notice of how Kim was in a good mood now. The Ron Effect, she had dubbed this.

Suddenly, Ron's watch beeped twice. His face froze for a second and he shot an alarmed look at his best friend. Kim motioned towards the restrooms with her eyes.

Ron stood up and smiled apologetically at Tara. "Damn me and my digestive track. I'll be back in- uh, be back soon." He exited the gym almost running.

Tara decided to talk to Kim, especially after Bonnie messed her mood up. "Uh, Kim, I'm gonna get some air, would you come with me please?"

Kim's eyebrows rose, but she nodded. "Well, sure. Let's get our coats." They put on their winter coats and stepped outside the gym. Almost no one was outside, aside from a few smoking students. Tara walked along the edge of the gym and stood near the sidewall. From there, they could see most of Middleton shining in the night sky.

The air was cold with December progressing. But the skies were clear and even some stars blinked at them. Tara just sighed when she stopped. "I wanted to speak with you."

Kim rolled her eyes. This felt a little too infused with drama for her tastes. "Doy. No one gets some air when the outside is this cold. So what's the matter?"

Tara just laid it on Kim straight. "I think I'm in love with Ron." Slowly, a small head of the naked mole rat known as Rufus popped his head from Kim's winter coat's pocket.

Kim's eyes grew. "Wha...What?" She barely pulled herself together. "I mean... It's... You two have been dating for only..."

Tara stepped towards Kim and got close. "I know he's...you know." She leaned in even closer and whispered. "Flash."

Kim's eyes grew even more as Tara revealed her knowledge. She couldn't speak for a while. Then found her voice with some effort. "Did Ron...?"

Tara shook her head. "He doesn't even know that I know."

"Then how?" Kim was worried if they had made a big mistake in covering up after him.

"Don't worry Kim, I had to snoop around after catching you two in a supply closet. Don't think anyone else can figure it out."

Kim realized what instance she was talking about. "Look Tara, this was not something we could explain to you. Don't get upset about it."

The blonde cheerleader shook her head again. "I'm not upset. I get it. No matter what happens, you and Ron are for life, best friends forever. I'm just the girlfriend. Maybe not even for long. That's not the... problem."

Kim realized Tara was shaking a little, and not from the cold. The petite girl was troubled. She put her hand on the smaller girl's shoulder. "Tara, just tell me what's the problem. Ron really likes you, therefore I like you." She smiled to the blonde.

Tara stood silent, her eyes downcast as she recalled what Bonnie spoke about. "I first saw Ron during one of your missions on TV. You know, _ really saw him. _I knew him as your friend, but not more than that. Anyway, it was about protecting some princess or something. You were fighting a lot of guys, and he was running away from a lot of others."

Kim grinned. "Yea, he used to do a lot. Still does, actually."

"But he was cracking jokes. And... And then I saw him at school. Dressed like... You know his usual ensemble. Not caring about how he looked. And then he kept doing those missions with you. He was nothing like all those other jerks and pigs that only think about how big your breasts are or how pretty you are. Then when he had that new haircut, lots of people noticed actually how cute he was... Including me."

Tara raised her head a little. "So Bonnie can sue me, I had a crush on him. Then that whole Camp Wannaweep deal goes down and he was even braver than I imagined. I thought maybe he'd notice me after that. Only he didn't."

Tara shook her head and kept talking. "So I kept to Bonnie's advice and stayed low. It was just a crush I told myself. Then he got struck by that lightning. You were a wreck the whole week."

Kim recalled that time. It was true. She was unable to concentrate on a single task that whole week. Even cried a few times when Ron didn't wake up when she visited him in the hospital. She shivered a little. Seeing Ron like that... Kim would never get used to it. Especially not after the whole sitch with Grodd.

"You told us he nearly died. That his heart stopped more than a few times. So I said to myself, to hell with Bonnie and her ideas. To hell with anyone who doesn't think that he is cool. I tried to build my nerve so I could... kinda ask him out. Then the whole deal with his selection to football and your missions... "

"So Bonnie and I were a bit late to exit mall that one day, and decided to take a shortcut to suburbs. A thug cut us off in a dark alley, with a...with a..." Tara recalled the traumatic event. Kim felt it was a bad memory and gave her time.

"With a knife. I'm there thinking we are so stupid, and Bonnie is trying to stay brave but she was shaking as well. Suddenly, Ron came into the alley and beat up the guy. Took the knife from him and flipped him. Like he was nothing. This same guy I see getting harassed by the D-hall bullies."

Tara kept shaking as she recalled. "And he was angry. Angry at us, that we were not careful. That we didn't call anyone. He was angry because he was worried that something might have happened to us. He cared, even for Bonnie. And there is no love lost there. A hero, with a heart that kind."

Kim was shocked to hear this little story. Ron had never told her this.

"Anyway, I didn't know how to approach him after that...I was going to use Animology as a last ditch effort."

Tara's hand found Kim's free hand and grabbed it. "I didn't know what I was gonna do when you offered to help. And you did. Whatever anyone says, you are really the best Kim...Uh, don't let Bonnie hear that I said that."

Kim smiled as she squeezed Tara's hand. "Never."

Tara then dropped her eyes on the floor again. "Then the whole dating thing. He was nothing like all those other guys. No trying to kiss me out of the blue, no snaking his hand to my legs, no inappropriate crude jokes. He seemed genuinely interested in keeping me entertained. Drove me home on time, didn't even ask for a good night kiss. Then he asked me out for the following week. He said, 'if you want to but I'd understand so don't feel bad.' I mean, what kinda guy makes you laugh, keeps you entertained, acts like a perfect gentleman, then assumes you wouldn't want a second date?"

Kim saw Tara shaking slightly again, but this time she also saw a single tear escape the girl's eye. She squeezed the blonde's hand again, encouraging her.

"And he does this all the while helping you, studying to get his grades up and later I find out, spending whatever free time he has to help people in all of Tri-City. He expects no thanks or anything. Even when he saved me and Bonnie as himself, he never said a word to anyone. He asked us to keep silent about it. Never thought of using it for scoring points."

Kim, while still reeling from the earlier story, nodded slowly. Ron was a goofy, cheeky guy most of the time. He always had a good joke or two at hand. But as she discovered lately, he also had the bravery and kindness that you'd expect from a Disney protagonist.

"Then the Space Center thing happened. I followed you two in school when he seemed too wounded. Saw how you dressed his wound. Then I saw him in Bueno Nacho restroom a few days later, and the wound was gone. I checked in with the hospital, and he never had been there. I figured out the rest."

Tara stilled a little. "It was shocking, of course. But I understood. He needed to protect his identity. Even if it meant hiding it away from his girlfriend. And he kept being perfect. When I started to hang onto him at school, he never complained. I..."

The blonde was blushing a little. "Today, he made it to my place right on time. Where two minutes ago Flash was on the freeway, ending a high speed chase with no one getting hurt. His clothes were a little wrinkled and his hair messed up, but to me he looked like just perfect. He had just saved the day, and still he made it on time, at the expense of looking like that."

Tara stopped talking, as if she was tired. Or preparing herself. Kim shook her hand a little.

Tara finally looked directly into Kim's eyes. "How do you _ not_ fall in love with him? And that's what's eating me."

"Tara, what are you...?" Kim was troubled. Rufus decided that this conversation was too heavy for him, so he hid deep within Kim's coat back again.

A few more tears fell on the ground. "I didn't know it would turn out like this. I didn't know he was one of those guys that my mom told me about. A guy you marry without a second thought."

Kim was now torn. She wanted to help this girl, but something, deep down inside, held her back without even herself noticing.

Tara was now openly crying. "I didn't know that I would fall in love with your guy!"

Kim weakly contested this. "Tara, Ron's not mine..."

"I am so afraid... Like Bonnie says, one day you'll just see him for what he is and wake up. And he doesn't love me. He...he likes me, but he doesn't love me. I'll... I'll step aside whenever you want Kim." Tara whispered as she felt her knees giving out, after holding on to her feelings like that.

Kim barely caught the girl and hugged her. She had to say something, even though she had no idea what she would. Tara was breaking down.

And Tara loved Ron. Kim saw that clearly. This girl that she thought she knew, naive, innocent and quiet girl had seen more than anyone else. And now genuinely loved Ron. It made Kim immensely happy... And very unhappy.

**Her **Ron. She always claimed she knew what was best for Ron, even if he didn't. Then, what was best for Ron?

_A girl that loves him like this. You know that he deserves this. _ A little voice of reason spoke again in her head.

Kim made her mind. She pulled Tara in for a tighter hug and allowed the smaller girl to cry on her shoulder. "No matter what happens Tara. No matter what. I'll always have your back in this. You'll never have to worry about me."

They stood like that for some time. Finally, a distant boom was heard. A barely visible streak came close to the school and circled to the back of the gym under the dark skies.

Kim raised Tara's head and cleaned up her make up and mascara with a tissue she had in her coat. "Now, let's see what the Speed Boy was up to." They walked inside together.

Ron found them sitting at the table like he left them. Monique had sat down as well, near Kim. "Sorry about that people. Probably a bad Naco earlier."

Monique admonished him. "TMI Ron, TMI."

Ron scratched his neck in embarrassement. Then turned to Tara. "One more dance before we return home?"

Tara just smiled and offered her arm. They left for the dancing.

Monique peered at them first, then turned to Kim. "What happened back there, spill."

Kim sighed and sat back on the chair. "I'm a goddamn idiot, that's what happened." Rufus showed up at her shoulder again and patted her cheek. "Well, I at least have one nice guy with me tonight." Rufus chittered happily.

* * *

Ron's Saturday morning sleep was broken by the ringing of the phone. He grumbled as his mother called from downstairs.

"Ron, there is someone asking for you on the phone!"

Ron grumbled again and picked up the phone in his room. "Ron Stoppable..." He yawned. "Speaking."

"Oh, hey, Hal here." The combat pilot's voice sounded a bit strained.

Ron's sleep evaporated. Fellow superhero calling, felt interesting. "Morning dude! Something I can help with?"

The voice on the other end sounded really nervous. "Uh, short version is this: The, uh, criminal who killed my predecessor was still on Earth, recovering after a fall from the _ orbit._ He is back, and I seriously need help."

Ron shot up and looked for his bag. "Say no more. Just tell me where you need me."

"I think we have a few hours until he makes it to Coast City, so...yea..."

"Be there in half an hour, tops." He turned to put the phone down. Rufus was still sleeping, and Ron left him there.

He quickly got dressed in mission clothes and stuffed his suit in the backpack. He rushed downstairs and found his parents setting up the table for breakfast.

He picked up a piece of toasted bread and stuffed it into his mouth.

"Ron, where are you going?" His mother looked at him intently.

"Sorry, gotta jet. Urgent mission and all that. Tell Rabbi Katz I'm sorry!" He was out of the house in record time.

Meanwhile, in Possible residence, Kim was getting ready for the day. She was hoping a mission free, quiet Saturday was written in her fate that week.

Of course, the Kimmunicator beeped. Wade's face showed when she answered it. _"Kim, this might be sorta tough, so I'll listen in to the conversation."_

"Wha? Wade, what's the-" Wade's face was replaced by a nervous looking Carol Ferris. "Sitch."

"Kim? I'm so sorry about this, but we have a bad situation here in Coast City."

"What kind of bad situation?"

Carol looked troubled, extremely troubled. _"I...I found out what Hal was doing. Problem is, there is an alien approaching Coast City to get to him. And I think he needs help, big time help. You are the only one I could call!"_

Kim sighed. "Well, at least fighting an alien will be new. I think I was due for one of that. And I might be able to call in... a favor."

_"Thank you! I'm sending a company VTOL to pick you up right now!"_

Wade's face was troubled after Ferris' call ended. _"Kim, this sounds more than a little dangerous. You might wanna get all the tools in mission backpack. Or maybe..."_ Wade left the ending open, hoping that Kim would pick it up.

"There's no way in hell I'm sending Ron against this without backup. Which reminds me, call him now and tell him to pack the suit, we might need it."

Wade nodded and tried Ron's watch. _"Oh damn."_

"What? What's wrong?"

_"The watch signal is non responsive, let me check the GPS tracker."_ Wade ran a trace on the chip in Ron's neck. _"Kim, he's in superspeed, and by the looks of it, running to somewhere out of Tri-City."_

"He picks today of all days to go off by himself? Damn." Kim paced around in her room. "Okay, we can try him later when he stops. For now, give me intel."

_"Several hours ago, a disturbance was reported fifty miles east of Coast City, in a US Air Force base. Green blasts of energy and high tech weaponry was noted by military. Afterwards, an unknown humanoid tore through local law enforcement and went off towards Coast City. Kim, this looks real bad."_

"Then we have to be badder. Worse...Badical... God damn it, now I'm imitating Ron."

* * *

Ron made it to Coast City in half an hour. He stopped a few minutes to pick up some chimmeritos from the local Bueno Nacho and hard pressed himself to get to Jordan's roof as soon as possible.

The inter-galactic law enforcement officer was sitting on the roof, and trying to clear some flesh wounds. He was not doing well.

"Damn, this alien must be trouble." Ron stopped near Jordan to inspect his wounds. "Anything serious?"

"He got me with an energy weapon he constructed from salvaged parts. Just some burns, I managed to stay out of his reach." He stood up and shook Ron's hand. "Thanks for helping man, I'm kinda over my head here. This dude, according to the ring, is not someone a rookie Lantern should've been facing."

"Didn't you call for help from your organization? Also, give me that." Ron took the sponge Hal was using to clear his burns and tried to cleanse some that Hal couldn't reach easily.

Hal sat back down and let Ron try to help. "I did call, but all Lanterns in neighbouring sectors are away on missions. They sent someone from headquarters, but he won't make it here in time."

"So we are alone in this? Great. Give me the rundown."

"Some old Lantern prisoner named Atrocitus. Superhuman strength and incredible durability. He shrugged off bullets they fired at him Air Force base. He shrugged off the energy blasts I kept spamming on him, with only slowing down a little. They got him with a shell fired from a tank, and he walked it off after half a minute."

"So what I'm hearing is that we are in very deep shit?"

"Exactly. He constructed some salvaged weaponry for himself, on top of his natural abilities."

"He is not flying, is he?"

"No, thank God for that. That's how I managed to get away after he injured me. He can jump real high, but no real flight."

"So that means I can get him."

"That's what I thought. Maybe if we disarm him and I can construct something strong enough to contain him, we can stop him." Hal hissed as Ron went over a particularly nasty burn with the soaked sponge.

"Sorry. Damn, I wish Kim was here, she knows first aid. How long do we have before he makes it into the city?"

"Maybe half an hour."

"Well, if you can move, maybe we can intercept him before he makes it here."

"Yea... Let me get up." Hal stood up and concentrated with his ring. The tears and burns on the green suit repaired themselves. "And this goddamn thing was supposed to protect me from almost anything."

"Guess almost doesn't cover what that guy has. Lead the way."

Hal shot off towards the sky and Ron blasted down towards the street, following the green streak in the sky.

Meanwhile, somewhere above western Utah, Kim received a call on the Kimmunicator. "Any word on Ron Wade?"

_"No word, he didn't stop enough time for me to get a stable connection... Which is something I'm going to improve in the future. But I know where he is now."_

The Kimmunicator screen switched to a map view and zoomed in on California. Then a red dot on the map showed over Coast City.

"So he's already there? Something is going on."

_"I agree. Ron didn't even leave a notice to me, meaning that he didn't have much time, if any, before he left."_

"Is the attack on the Air Force base on the news?"

_"The authorities are stifling information. There is no way Ron learnt this through traditional channels."_

Kim tapped on her cheek while thinking. "This changes little. I already wanted him there as Flash, so this is better. I'd like to know what the hell he is doing though."

_"I'll keep trying him. Watchtower out."_

Hal Jordan passed the populated area of the city limits and flew towards the eastern entrance to the city. He settled on the roof of a gas station and looked towards east. Ron made it there a second later and looked at the Lantern.

"Any signs of him? Do we know where he is coming from?"

"He wants me, and he was at Edwards Air Force Base when we fought. He will pick the most direct route. Meaning that he'll just approach via the desert."

"I'm open to ideas."

Hal thought for a minute. "According to the ring, the rod he constructed allows him to trace the Willpower energies. We can draw him away from this county and the city itself."

"Let's go then, I'd rather face a maniac like that in open space, rather than tight quarters. By the way, how will I know who is he?"

Hal snorted. "Believe me, you will know. He's kinda hard to mistake."

Hal flew out towards the desert and flared power from his ring. Ron simply found himself a nearby rock formation to hide behind.

They didn't have to wait for long. As Ron watched behind the rock, a huge red alien came running through the desert. It stopped some ways afar from Jordan who was floating in the air.

It spoke in a gargled but recognizable English. Which seemed to shock Hal Jordan.

**"I see you insist on standing in my way Lantern. All I wanted was the power of your ring, but your blood will fuel my next ritual for William Hand."**

Hal simply hovered around as he spoke. "You are not going to murder anyone else Atrocitus. You won't wreak havoc on **my **planet. I will stop you, and the Corps will take you prisoner as before."

Ron squinted and tried to make out the features of the alien. It was a blood red humanoid, nine feet tall with a bald head. Its eyes were yellow, and it had razor sharp teeth, from what he could see. Oh, and its hands were _ claws. _ Freaking _ claws._

**"You won't be troubling me again. Begone." **The alien suddenly raised his right hand and activated a yellow cylindrical device. A pure blast of green energy came out of its tip and struck at Hal Jordan.

After the blast dispersed, Ron saw a green shield construct in front of Hal, who were holding his right hand in front of himself. Then he dispersed the shield and launched spears made of green light from his ring.

The alien jumped and took the spears head on. Hal created a shield again, and Atrocitus struck it with his bare claws. Hal was blasted back and landed on the ground some distance away.

As alien advanced on Hal's knocked form, Ron decided it was time to intervene. He exploded into a flurry of speed and rushed at the alien's back. He jumped and delivered a flying kick into its back.

The alien was knocked down and rolled on the ground. **"What just...happened?"**

Ron made a peace sign with his right hand and flashed a smile at the alien. "The Flash is in the house! Pummel Time!" He blasted forward again and unleashed a storm of kicks on the alien's barely standing form.

Atrocitus cried out in rage and pain. **"Arrrgh!" **He swung his massive arm around to catch Flash. Ron saw it coming while running and barely leaned back in time. He slid on the ground and ran near Hal.

"Limbo Time! You need to move faster catch me pal." He grabbed Hal's arm and helped him up. "C'mon man, we got red alien butt to kick."

Hal stood up and shook his head. "Damn, I didn't think he'd be able to do that. Thanks."

"Less talking, more fighting." They both turned towards the alien. It seemed contemplative as he peered at Flash.

**"Humans aren't supposed to be this fast. An anomaly?"**

Ron snorted and gave a sharp laugh out. "That's my motto, Never be Normal. So yes, I'm an anomaly." He grinned and exploded towards the alien again.

Atrocitus was ready this time. He immediately charged his rod and fired a green blast towards the incoming Flash. Ron's eyes grew, but he kept grinning as he simply spun around and evaded the blast. As he passed by Atrocitus, he unleashed a single superspeeded punch into the alien's exposed gut.

Atrocitus roared in pain again and Ron stopped his rush some distance behind him. The speedster then raised his hand and made a fist. "I'd also like to point out that I _ knew _ what anomaly means. It's a very boo-yah moment for me."

The alien growled and charged at him. Suddenly, he was peppered by an onslaught of green blasts on his back. Ron ran around him and repositioned himself closer to Hal. The Lantern finally stopped his wave of attack and peered at the small dust cloud caused by it.

Ron turned to Hal and asked. "He's not much for hero-villain repartee, is he?"

"I'm gonna go with a 'no' on that."

"How does he even speak English, did he learn it in a week or something?"

The alien's voice sounded from the dispersing dust cloud. **"No. I **_** drank **_** the blood of your soldiers to gain their memories and knowledge."** The hero duo saw Atrocitus sporting the sickest, most disturbing smile ever. **"Do I scare you, little humans?"**

Ron was damn scared for sure. This guy was certifiably insane. However, fear never had much hold on him, as long as it wasn't monkeys.

Or Camp Wannaweep.

Or small bugs. Boy, did he hate small bugs or what.

_Ron, stop playing around! _ Kim's voice sounded out from his subconscious. Ron grinned. Even in his psyche, there was a little Kim setting him straight.

"Dude, I'm gonna just say... Eww? I mean, drinking blood, really? Can you get even creepier? Or was that more creepy? Damn, I nevercouldgetthatright."

His voice had quickened in his babbling at the end. Hal looked at him with a weird look. "You are not entirely sane, are you?"

Ron snorted. "Dude, you are fighting a maniacal alien, using a ring that came from outer space, aided by someone who gets his kicks from running in supersonic speeds. Do you think _ you _ are all there?"

The speech was faster than normal, but Hal still managed to catch all that. He nodded. "Good point." He looked towards Atrocitus. And his eyes grew. "Look out!"

Heroes immediately dispersed to opposite sides and Atrocitus landed where they just were and slammed his fists on the ground. The ground around that place cracked visibly. Ron gulped slightly.

_We would've been toast if that hit._

Hal flew over the alien and floated nearby Ron. "You hit him low, I'll hit him high. We can't let him breathe."

"Got it."

Ron blasted forwards and started weaving in and out of Atrocitus' reach and slip in a quick punch after each evasion. Hal elevated in the air and started firing off timed blasts as Ron retreated back and then advanced again.

The Ferris Aircraft VTOL landed on the Ferris Aircraft HQ. Kim jumped out of the still working craft and hurried inside the building. She never made it in though. Carol Ferris ran from outside the rooftop door and met her in the middle of the runway leading to the helipad.

Kim was just about to speak when her Kimmunicator beeped. "Wade, I just made it here!"

_"You'll want to see this!" _

The Kimmunicator screen switched to video streaming mode and showed a TV channel. Carol Ferris was about to speak but stopped when she saw the stream. The speaker of the channel narrated the video, obviously being shut from a news helicopter.

_"Again, viewer discretion is advised! For those just tuning in, we are bringing you live images of two heroes engage a seemingly non-human creature in deadly combat. Our careful viewers will recognize the flying hero as the Green Lantern, who just recently made his appearance in our Coast City. Alongside him, the famous Flash of Tri-City."_

As they watched, the alien teared huge rocks from the nearby formations and threw one after the other towards both heroes. The Lantern shielded himself from them as the rocks kept raining, Flash simply chose to evade them all. In turn, he kept picking up small rocks from the ground and peppered the alien with them in superspeed.

The alien who had shrugged off bullets was not damaged by rocks either. But it was enough to get his attention.

_"The red creature just jumped towards Flash!_ " The speedster just evaded as the alien landed and unleashed another flurry of punches on its back.

_"The creature seems angered! Flash just evaded another punch, and he retreats!" _ A huge hammer made of green light appeared above the alien and crashed onto it.

The green hammer suddenly exploded and Atrocitus jumped from directly within the shards into the air, sailing towards Jordan. The Lantern responded by creating a giant fist and swinging it as he got close. The alien took the hit and rolled on the ground.

_"This truly is a battle of the titans!"_

Down below the helicopter, the heroes were re-united as they watched the alien recover from the hit, again.

"What will it take to bring this guy down?" Ron queried. "Can't you hit him with your hardest hitter or something?"

Hal got angry as the desperation began to creep in. "Look, I got a full day's training before I flew back to Earth. I told you, I'm not the guy for this, the ring's limit is my imagination, and I'm weak!"

"Hal, this is so not the time to break down."

"Well, sorry that I've not been in the hero business since I was a thirteen year old!"

The alien jumped up and descended towards them. They dispersed again, but this time, alien didn't move to chase them immediately. Instead, it raised the little rod he had in his hand and pointed it towards Hal Jordan.

**"I sense your fear Lantern. You are feeble, weak. Your constructs are weak. And I will take the power you can't use."**

As the alien's rod was trained on him, a green supercharged cloud of energy began to escape Hal's ring.

_**"Ring power at fourty percent."**_An ethereal voice spoke, seemingly from the ring itself.

Hal's eyes nearly popped as he realize what was going on. "Oh fuck!" He tried to fly away, but a blast from the rod grounded him. Ron rushed at the alien, but it was ready this time. Atrocitus pointed the rod towards the ground near him and fired a blast. Ron was disoriented as he was caught in the explosion he walked into himself, and a moment later, he saw a clawed hand descending on him.

He barely avoided the full brunt of the claws, but they dug into his chest and teared away the front of his suit. The alien kicked him away after failing to impale him with its claws.

Meanwhile, Hal was trying to get up from the ground, only for Atrocitus to almost land on him and pin him with its huge red foot.

**"You have lost. You failed to hide Hand from me. After I kill you, I will claim his innards."** Green power kept seeping out from the ring. **"Rejoice Lantern. I am doing this to save the universe. Your world dies, everyone else lives." **The alien behemoth's eyes flashed hatred as he spoke. **"Except your Corps and the Guardians. All of you will feel my rage, my vengeance! Starting with you!"**

It raised its fist and landed a very powerful punch at Hal's chest. He raised his fist again and struck. Hal spat blood and screamed from the immense pain.

**"Die." **This time, Atrocitus raised both his arms and clasped his hands in the air, intent on finishing Hal's life.

As the clasped fists descended, Hal heard a thunder and Ron was there. He landed a punch directly on Atrocitus' face. The alien was blown away, and a strong gust of wind hit Hal afterwards.

_**"Ring power at zero point three percent. Recharge needed to maintain suit cohesion."**_

Hal wheezed as Ron grabbed his arm and leg. The shorter teenager hefted him up and hoisted Hal on his shoulders. "We gotta get you out, patched up and recharged. If that ring was correct."

Hal barely uttered the words through blinding pain. "My...place...The lantern's...there...Hurry.."

Ron nodded and blasted off back towards Coast City.

Kim cut the Kimmunicator feed and turned to a panicking Carol Ferris. "Where would Hal go in his state? Carol, come on, answer me!"

The older woman was shaking and in part shock. "How.. do you know... that's Hal?"

Kim shook her head. "We saw the ring when we found him, now where would he go? Where would Flash take him?"

Carol breathed deeply to control herself. "His place...That green lantern thing was in his house."

Kim moved back towards the VTOL. "C'mon, we gotta go."

The pilot exited the VTOL and looked at his boss and the young redhead he had just transported. Carol Ferris commanded him. "Adam, we need to go back up ASAP."

The pilot shook his head. "Sorry Miss Ferris, Air Traffic Control just issued a city-wide no flight order. We can't breach protocol."

Ferris was about to blow. "The hell we can't! I-" She stopped as Kim held her arm.

"Do you have a bike in the company garage?"

Carol thought for a moment. "There is Hal's bike parked, but I don't have the keys."

"I'll manage, let's go." Both women rushed inside the building to get to garage.

Five minutes later, Carol was holding onto her dear life behind Kim. The teen hero had simply hardwired the ignition and turned on the bike like it was nothing. And now she was speeding through traffic in almost full speed. Scaring the hell out of the normally fearless pilot slash company executive in the process.

Meanwhile, Ron had sped through the city and reached Jordan's apartment. He carried the almost fainted Lantern through the rooftop door. As soon as they entered the apartment though, he realized something was off.

Someone was in the apartment, besides the two new arrivals. He set Hal down on the couch and looked around. The sound of a rushing footsteps came from behind, sending Ron in superspeed mode and turning around.

A guy with a baseball bat was rushing at him, and the funny part was that his eyes were closed. Ron simply sidestepped and took the bat out of the man's hand, letting him tumble.

"Damn it! Get away from Hal you..." The man finally took a good look at Ron. "Oh."

Ron simply dropped the bat and sat down on a nearby chair. "Dude, we are having problems enough..." Then Ron's brain caught up to what the man said. "Wait, you know this is Hal Jordan?"

The man, who sported a messy black hair and glasses, scoffed. "Duh. I'm his best friend. Name's Tom."

Ron weakly waved at him. "The Flash, in the flesh." He winced as the movement sent some pain through his chest. Apparently, the alien's claws had dug a little bit beneath the skin.

Hal groaned, apparently not entirely conscious. The guy named Tom moved near him and checked him over. "I only saw bits and pieces on TV, what the hell happened to you two?"

"Real angry alien with super strength. We gotta..." Ron groaned again as he tried to sit up. "Hal took a few real bad hits on his chest, I don't think he's at good shape... Are you a doctor by any chance?"

Tom shook his head. "Aerospace engineer... He needs a hospital by the looks of it."

"He does, but we kinda need him charged and patched. The alien's moving in on his target, and only he knows what or who that is."

The door to the apartment swung open to reveal Carol Ferris rushing in. Kim stepped in after her.

Ron's eyes met Kim's as Carol rushed towards the couch. "Well, this is awkward."

Kim wanted to scold him for skipping town without telling her, but held her tongue as they were with company who didn't know who Flash was. Then she noticed Ron's chest.

"Dammit, and I was counting on you to be the backup for this whole sitch."

"Well, Miss Possible, I'm as much backup as I can, which is to say, little." Kim moved to him, but Ron held his hand. "This is just a flesh wound, I'll be fine. Get the Lantern."

Kim looked at the emerald lantern on the coffee table and then back to Ron. He sighed.

"Not the actual lantern, I mean the Lantern as in the dude. He took a few bad hits and out of it."

Kim nodded and pulled Carol aside to take a good look at the man lying on the couch. As she tried to assess the damage, the green suit went out and left Hal in his daily clothing. The ethereal voice spoke out from the ring again.

_**"Ring power at zero point one percent. Higher functions are shutting down. Imminent recharge needed."**_

Kim turned Hal slowly and removed his shirt with Carol's help. She felt around and looked to the other woman. "We need a medical kit. Something with extensive tools."

Carol nodded and started to go through Hal's bathroom cabinet. "He kept one around here...somewhere."

Meanwhile, Tom had moved near the still groaning Flash and whispered to him. "Is that...?"

"Kim Possible? Yes."

"So you met her before?"

"We live in the same city, we ran into each other."

Tom grinned slightly. "Nice."

Ron just stared at the engineer. "Dude, what the hell?"

"Well, you called her in for extra support, so that must mean you two are..."

"I didn't call her. She wasn't supposed to know I was here."

Kim heard that as she began taking out equipment from the medkit Carol brought out. She growled. "Oh, so I was not _ supposed _ to know it. Instead, I get called seperately and find your ass injured, _ again._"

An awkward silence followed as Kim injected painkillers into Hal's bloodstream. Tom tried to break it by initiating another line of conversation.

"So, uh, don't you like have a sidekick with you? I saw him on TV, funny looking fella with blonde hair?"

Another awkward silence followed, and then Tom's eyes grew. "Hell no."

Ron growled dangerously. "Possible..."

Kim growled right back. "Oh shut it Ron, it's not like they are going to run to press right away. I think we can trust them."

Carol looked at the Flash and then to Kim. "So _ he _ is the Flash? Your sidekick?"

Ron waved weakly. "Sorry to disappoint."

Kim stood up as she helped Hal sit up. "Two of his ribs are broken, but I don't think there is any internal bleeding."

Ron stood up slowly. "Any chance of going back into action?"

Kim shook her head. "I don't know. If he was a normal human, I'd say a trip to hospital is imminent, but I don't know what that ring does."

Hal groaned as he tried to refocus his attention. "I...I can bind...the broken bones... I think."

Ron looked to his fellow superhero. "Okay Jordan, what the hell that alien meant when he wanted a hand? Something about failing to hide it from him?"

Hal drank a glass of water Carol brought him. "It's not a what... It's a man... William Hand. The alien wants his... insides or something."

Kim looked to Ron. "Well, we are now approaching a nine point six on the weirdness scale."

Ron scoffed. "I thought nine point six was time travel?"

"No, that was nine point seven, remember. Nine point six is crazy alien rampage."

"Right, my bad."

The other three occupants in the room were looking at the duo with blank expressions. Kim had the decency to look sheepish. "Sorry about that. Carry on."

Hal took shallow breaths in as he tried to create supports and brace constructs around his chest. "I have no idea what this Atrocitus wants, I only know he has escaped some sort of ultra-crazy strong prison and killed Abin Sur... My predecessor with the ring. He has the highest priority when it comes to rules of engagement, he must be stopped."

Kim tapped her chin as she thought. "So you know where this guy is?"

"I hid him in a warehouse near the testing airfield. That was the last thing I did before calling you Ron."

Ron paced back and forth and spoke in a quickening pace. "So, the alien will come for the dude. We have to go to the dude and protect him. From the somehow super crazy strong alien. Andwehavetodoitawayfromthecitysowedon'tgettoomuchcollateraldama-" His voice was even getting faster and its pitch was rising towards the end.

Kim held to Ron's arm. "Ron, calm down."

Ron looked embarrassed. "Oh... Sorry, my brain does that when I'm nervous." He scratched his neck. "Okay, how do we bring him down? Or keep him away from the city?"

Hal finished creating extra constructs on his armor. "I think... We could bring Hand to the airfield itself. It's a clear testing field, no collateral damage."

Carol was thinking about something. "Hal, do you think this alien could be damaged by a tactical air-to-ground missile?"

Hal seemed contemplative. "Well...He is not indestructible. He clearly got some injuries from some of my heavier blows, or Flash's superspeeded hits. Problem is, you can't get Air Force here to strike down an alien..."

Carol looked at Tom. "Maybe we don't have to. Tom, do you think...?"

Tom's eyes looked towards the Ferris Aircraft. "Sabers? Miss Ferris... They are prototypes."

"Prototypes who smoked me and Hal. We need only the weapons systems to activate."

"Well... It can be done... Just not sure if it's wise to hit a mad alien with advanced weaponry." The Inuit engineer rolled his eyes. "Did that sound weird to anyone else, or just me?"

Ron and Kim chorused. "You'll get used to it." A silent look between them transmitted a simultaneous internal _ jinx! _ between them.

Hal stood up. "We better get going then..." Then he remembered something. "Oh damn, the ring." He brought the lantern in front of him, and then spoke in a reverie.

"In brightest day, in blackest night,

No evil shall escape my sight.

Let those who worship evil's might

Beware my power-Green Lantern's light!"

The lantern glowed and green energy flowed from it towards the ring that was presented. Hal's suit reappeared, with the support constructs he created becoming more pronounced and stronger.

"Wow, that's cool. Oath and everything." Heads turned to Ron, who was now near the fridge, and stuffing almost anything he could find into his mouth and eating at superspeed.

He then became aware of people watching him and slowly stopped. "What? He recites an oath and is good to go, but I need food to keep going. So sue me."

Kim facepalmed as she turned to Hal. "I can bring over Carol and...Tom, was it? Anyway, we can go to the Airfield now, if you two-" She pointed to the still eating Ron and Hal himself. "-can bring this Hand guy in and lead the alien away from the city center."

Hal simply nodded, not wanting to aggravate his injury further. Kim motioned to the other two non-super powered people in the room and called out.

"Come on, we will need extra time over these two."

Kim shot a final look at Ron before exiting the apartment. "Ron, be careful. I don't want a second Grodd happenstance."

Ron simply made a victory sign while stuffing his face. Kim sighed and hurried out.

Jordan tested out his constructs and his flight a little. It all seemed to be working. Then he turned to Ron.

"Ready?"

Ron finished eating and shut the door of the fridge. "Born ready."

Then he cracked a little and giggled. "Always wanted to say that."

* * *

Hal Jordan was once again floating in the air. He had picked up William Hand and hid him in the farthest test bunker of the airfield. The air control and the mission command of Ferris Aircraft was also sufficiently far enough.

In the middle of the airfield, he waited. Ron had picked up the duty of having Atrocitus tag along. With his speed, it was a natural choice to lure the alien in.

That, and the teen had uncanny abilities in pissing people off.

Hal decided that Ron was amongst the coolest dudes he had ever met already. He owed him a Grande sized Naco if they made out of this alive.

_Not if Jordan, it's __**when. **__Get your head in the game._

Slowly, but surely, he heard the sounds and sights of something fast approaching.

A thunder noise after, Flash was standing below him, slightly breathing hard. Hal slowly floated down and stopped just short of landing on the ground.

"Is he coming?"

"Boy, I don't know. Do we have more than oneredsupercrazymaniacalien-" Hal's eyebrow rose. Ron forced himself to breath deeply. "Long story short, yes he's coming."

"What exactly did you do?"

Ron snorted. "Some insinuations about his mother's supposed profession. I'm going to take a guess and say he didn't take it _ well._ "

An enraged howl was heard at some distance, along with the sounds of cars riding away with screeching tires from the airfield.

The alien jumped from over one of the nearby warehouses and landed a few hundred meters away. He looked towards the hero duo and howled in incomprehensible anger.

**"I will destroy you human! I will make you feel the same anguish I felt! The destruction of all your world!"**

Ron gulped audibly. If his world was destroyed as he claimed, that would account for the special branch of crazy this guy was showcasing.

Half a mile away, at the Ferris Aircraft Control Tower, Kim watched the engineer activate systems with the help of his boss. Apparently, Carol Ferris was also well-versed in the computational systems associated with the business.

"How long till we can get them airborne?" Carol asked.

"The systems check is complete, but we still need to actually open hangar doors and manually activate the Sabers."

Carol nodded and closed the screen in front of her. "Kim and I will handle it. Come on, we gotta hurry."

Tom called after them. "Better hurry, it seems round two will start soon."

As they hurried towards the hangar where Sabers were kept, Kim wondered aloud. "Where are all the personnel?"

"We are on hiatus following the contract negotiations with Air Force. No work needs to be done till next month, when we start production."

"How convenient for us." Kim peered at the huge doors of the hangar. "How do we get those open?"

"Controls inside, upper floor. I'll need to activate the Sabers so-"

"I'm on it." Kim pulled out her grappling gun and zipped up towards the hangar controls upstairs.

A few minutes later, Sabers aligned and pointed towards the open hangar doors. Carol called Tom on the intercom and let him know that work was done.

Meanwhile, Hal was leading Atrocitus towards that hangar, while Ron kept harassing the alien with various methods to keep him distracted. It was working well, reasonably.

Well, if you don't count the energy blasts they were being forced to evade.

Kim and Carol exited the hangar and hid behind a few stacked crates to watch what was going on. Carol called Tom's cell and queried.

"Tom, they will need the missiles soon! How far along the systems?"

_"A few more minutes until the systems are hot and targeting is engaged!"_

Kim watched as the alien started to overpower the heroes again. They simply had no answer to his durability. "They might not have a few minutes."

She swiveled the backpack on her back and opened it to reveal a bunch of mission equipment.

_Cutting laser-lipstick, no use. Acidic nail polish, pass. Constricting elastic, hmm. Maybe. Knockout gas, another maybe._

"Stay here." She told Carol.

"No problem."

Kim activated her rocket boots and zoomed towards the fighters.

Just in time to see the alien overpower one of Hal's shields and knock him on the ground afar, near the crates Carol was hiding behind. The Lantern groaned as his already broken ribs hurt more. Ron bore down on the alien and unleashed another one of his punch storms, but it did little more than distract it.

Kim called out. "Ron, move it!" He turned around and saw her fast approaching. Ron retreated in super speed and Kim fired the constricting elastic in string mode. The elastic wrapped around the alien. Kim fired it again and again until all charges of it were spent.

She circled back and deactivated the boots. Ron stopped near her. "It won't hold him. Nothing holds this dude."

Kim pulled out the knockout gas. "Think you can shove this down his throat?"

Ron grinned and took the gadget. He blasted in superspeed towards the alien, held his breath and opened the lip gloss-look-a-like container.

"Say 'aah' and open wide you big oaf!" He shoved the gadget down the alien's throat while he was thrashing against the already weakening elastic.

Meanwhile, Carol had pulled a squirming Hal behind the crates. "Goddamn it!" Many of the support constructs were gone, and his ribs were now hurting in spades.

Atrocitus felt the knockout gas go down his throat, but ignored. His superior physiology wouldn't be affected by meagre chemical agents humans could produce.

Then after staying still for a few seconds, making Kim and Ron think they succeeded, he ripped through the constricting elastic ropes in a single outwards motion.

A loud yell emanated from Carol's phone. _"The systems are ready, pull everyone back!"_

Carol could only yell "Kim!" before four missiles came sailing out of the hangar.

Ron saw the entire affair in superspeed, and grabbed Kim. He barely avoided the incoming missiles and made to move behind the same crates the other two were behind.

Missile after missile hit Atrocitus dead on, making him scream in pain and rage. After the fourth one, he was silent and where he was standing on was engulfed in black smoke.

_Please let this one keep him down. We are out of options here._ Ron thought as they watched the black smoke disperse slowly, giving way to a small crater with a few burning fires on the ground.

Suddenly, a red clawed hand stretched out and grabbed the edge of a crater. The alien pulled himself up very slowly. Its red skin was badly burned in many places, but he was moving.

"Fudge. We are so fudged." Ron gulped.

"I think you can safely say the real f-word Ron." Kim retracted her head and leaned on the crate. "I'm officially out of ideas."

Suddenly, the ethereal voice of the ring sounded out again.

_**"Green Lantern incapacitated. Universe-class threat detected. Emergency deputization protocol activated."**_

A green outline of a second ring formed above the real one on Hal's finger. It materialized enough to almost resemble a real Lantern ring, and then flew away.

Only to jet back towards them and stop in front of Kim.

_**"Kimberly Anne Possible of Earth. You have the unbreakable will of a Green Lantern."**_

The ring flew in and affixed itself on Kim's right hand middle finger. She suddenly felt an incredible amount of power flow through her.

Kim reopened her eyes and looked at Ron. Her eyes were glowing green, an added effect to her already mesmerizing green eyes. Her best friend under the red suit smiled.

Hal's strained voice spoke from near. "K-kim...Use your... will...Imagination... Overcome...fear."

Kim nodded and willed herself upwards. She suddenly flew. Her smile grew.

Ron walked out from behind the crates. "Well, this is a more familiar territory. Want me to run distraction again?"

Kim nodded. "You know me so well."

Ron took a deep breath and then exploded towards the still recovering alien. He ran past it and punched it in the face. The alien was knocked back as Ron circled back and delivered another punch. He kept pummeling the alien with each pass.

Kim looked at the ethereal ring on her hand and took a deep breath herself.

_Now or never Kim. Anything's possible for a Possible, right? _

She focused her will and formed a bow in her hands. She shot green energy arrows after each of Ron's passes by the alien.

Atrocitus finally regained his balance and tried to catch Ron with an energy blast out of his divining rod. Ron evaded, but his speed routine broken, he retreated.

Atrocitus turned his attention to Kim hovering in the air. He fired a blast towards her. She simply dropped down to avoid it. She pointed on the ground and a metal blast door appeared in front of her, much like one in Drakken's lairs.

The following energy blast cracked the construct door, but it held. Kim suddenly had an idea. She pointed sideways, and a green construct of a hooded man appeared. It pulled a compound bow from its back and started peppering the alien with arrows.

Ron smiled. A construct of Arrow. That was creative. He delivered another superspeeded punch to the alien's back while it was distracted.

Kim wasn't finished. She flew upwards and then blasted towards the alien, with both of her arms stretched forward and her hands balled into fists. She crashed into the alien's chest, sending it flying. She yelled. "Ron, keep the pressure on! Don't let it get up."

Ron nodded affirmative, and went off after the still tumbling alien. He kept hitting it while it was down with superspeeded kicks and knee strikes.

Kim concentrated and created a huge hammer construct. She saw Ron running out when he saw it. With all the might she could muster, she repeatedly hit the alien on the head, like driving a rusty nail into the ground.

The hammer shattered at the last strike and Kim immediately started firing off blast after blast onto the prone form of the alien. It suddenly extended its arm and a green blast fired off from the rod he used.

Kim couldn't evade this one in time, and got the full hit. She was blasted backwards. Ron caught her before she hit the ground and slid on the ground. He set her down after she regained her balance.

"You okay KP?"

"So far, but I don't know how to get this maniac down. He keeps coming back."

"Told ya he was a pain in the ass..." Ron thought about what he could do beyond distraction. "Kim, I may have a trick or two to pull off, but need your backup on both."

"Tell me what you need."

Ron told her.

Atrocitus stood up and checked himself over. The humans were fighting hard, almost admirably, but ultimately futile against him. He was injured, yes, but nearly nowhere crippling for him. He looked up to see the two younger ones conspiring to do something.

He rushed towards them, but the slippery one in the red outfit blurred into that damn speed of his again. The female was just standing there as he jumped up and prepared himself to pounce upon her.

Suddenly, a tornado caught him as he was descending. Looking down, he saw a red streak outlining a circle right under him. That was the source of the tornado. He was caught helpless in the air.

Kim willed a missile launcher on her hands and fired it off towards the alien. She grimly nodded with satisfaction as it hit it head on.

She may not like fire arms one bit, but an alien rampage called for drastic response. She created another launcher and fired it again.

Deciding to try something bigger, she pointed nearby and willed a tank to materialize. Unfortunately, she was an untrained deputee and had nowhere near control to create something mechanically so complex. The construct failed and Ron's tornado disapperared. He appeared near her with a gust of wind a moment after. He was breathing somewhat heavily.

Kim shook her head. "Sorry, can't come up with a tank... It is harder than it seems."

"It's fine though..." Ron breathed heavily. "I've got one final trick. It's probably going to run me dry. And it's gonna require some Ron-class distraction."

"Are you asking me to Ron it up, Mr. Stoppable?" Kim grinned, trying to lighten the mood, despite the fact that they were in a highly lethal fight.

"It's much harder than it seems to be an effective Ron, Miss Possible. You sure you can do it?"

Kim simply punched him lightly on the arm. "Tell me what to do."

After conversing for a short while, Ron blasted off towards the horizon.

Carol had helped Hal up and they were watching what was going on. "What the hell is he doing?! Kim needs help!" Carol exclaimed, shocked that the boy would abandon his friend.

Hal wheezed. "Those two... probably have... a plan."

Atrocitus rose again, slowly. The fighting was beginning to take its toll on him. He had to end this and continue on with his task. He jumped on Kim, who immediately flew over him and landed on the other side. She created a green construct of big blast door in front of herself again.

From their position, Carol and Hal saw a red streak approaching in fast, with wisps of yellow lightning mixed in. They saw a small ring of cloud shooting around the streak when it was crossing the half a mile mark on the airfield.

Ron pushed himself to his limits while running. Both his arms were on his sides, vibrating as fast as he could manage. He felt himself push the sound barrier, signaling his cross into Mach 1 speed. He saw Kim standing behind a green door. She was cutting visibility from Atrocitus, just like they planned.

_Come on Stoppable! Faster, even faster! You can go even..._

_**FASTER!**_

His eyes flashed blue. Just as Kim flew off and the green door de-materialized, he felt himself pushing another sound blast outwards. This was Mach 2.

Just as he reached Atrocitus and came face to face with the rushing alien, he felt himself push out a final sound blast. He felt his muscles burning like fire and his entire body electrified. This was Mach 3.

He let out a primal scream as his arms shot forward and they started raining on superspeeded punches in a speed invisible to the eye. He kept running and punching as Atrocitus was blasted backwards with him.

They instantly passed the airfield and crashed into a hangar nearby. A moment later, Kim, Hal and Carol saw the other side of the hangar explode and Flash pushing back Atrocitus into another building.

This was a sturdier building, so the wall held. Ron kept raining down punches for a good ten seconds before he showed any sign of slowing down. Finally he slowed down and they all saw the state at which his arms were in.

The suit had burned up until his elbows and his fists looked badly beaten. Kim immediately flew in and rushed towards Ron.

After stopping, Ron took steps backwards, trying to find his balance. He didn't even have the energy to keep himself up after a good ten steps. He felt himself fall backwards.

Arms caught her before he hit the ground. Kim looked into Ron's eyes and thought she saw blue fire in them. Ron spoke in a tired tone.

"All will be well Kim. I took care of it." Kim blinked, and only light brown eyes were looking back this time.

Hal Jordan's ring spoke again, startling him and Carol who watched from afar.

_**"Ring power at one hundred and fifty two point three percent."**_

_Over a hundred percent?! What the hell is going on here?_

Kim held Ron and carried him away from the alien. It looked badly done in this time. Honestly Kim didn't know what they could have done if this didn't work.

Dread welled up within her as she heard the alien move. It was groaning and badly hurt. But still not beaten.

Hal saw it too, almost feeling what was going on.

_Is this it? The depth of my resolve? Watching on as kids fight my battle? Watching as fear cripples me, while a boy of sixteen takes up my duty?_

_"The ring's limit is your imagination and will. As long as you hold true to your will, nothing is impossible for a Lantern." _ Tomar-Re's words, his mentor in the short training he had done, rang in his brain.

The alien shook himself free from the wall and leapt at the spent Flash and Kim who was trying to shield him. The hit never came.

Hal was standing in front of them, holding a shield of pure green energy without a shape. The alien spoke, terrifying the hell out of Kim, who had never heard its guttural and otherworldly snarl.

**"You are fearful Lantern. And it keeps growing. You will fail. I will use your planet's energy to have my revenge on the Guardians. Nothing will stop me."**

Hal started muttering. Kim tried to make up the words. The alien started to blast pure green energy from the rod it was holding on the shield.

"In brightest day.. In blackest night."

**"I will start with you."**

"No evil ... shall escape my sight."

**"And when you are gone, I will destroy everything you ever loved. Your family your home, your planet will be no more."**

"Let those who worship... evil's might..."

**"The entire human race will be wiped out and the universe will tremble before the rage of Atrocitus. And you can't do anything to stop me, Lantern Hal Jordan."**

"Beware my power...Green Lantern's LIGHT!"

Hal's shield exploded forward and reflected the energy spewed by the rod back on Atrocitus.

Before the alien could blast backwards, ropes made of green energy caught him and brought him back to Hal. The Lantern punched the alien in the face with his full strength of suit, blasting it back again.

A wall materialized behind the alien and pinned him in the air. A green fist appeared and punched him. It was followed by two hammers appearing and hitting him at the same time, from both his sides.

He tried to claw through the constructs, but this time, they held. He couldn't even crack them.

"No more fear. No more doubt. No more of you hurting people!" Green blasts exploded all around him, forcing him to his feet.

Finally, beaten and broken, Atrocitus was on the ground. Hal struggled to create bonds on him. His pain finally catching up to him, he swerved and was about to fall.

A green hand caught him and held him until Carol ran and grabbed him.

"We can handle the rest."

As the four humans watched, three aliens wearing the same green uniform as Hal descended from the skies.

The one that seemed to be their leader landed in front of Hal. It was a weird humanoid roughly the size and shape of a human, reddish skin and a _ moustache._

Ron and Kim found that incredibly disturbing.

The other two, one a humanoid fish and the other an animalistic looking giant landed as well and created constructs to hold the unconscious Atrocitus.

"Si...Sinestro...Didn't think you'd ...come..." Hal breathed in sharply.

"As Lanterns, we must fight with all our will... Our wills haven't always been united. It's time they were." He shook Jordan's hand with respect. "You are impertinent Hal Jordan. You're rash, volatile, opinionated." Hal's face darkened with each insult.

"It seems Abin-Sur's ring found another just like himself." Both the rookie and the veteran Lanterns smiled.

Meanwhile, the giant alien approached Kim and Ron. "Looks like one of them got a deputization."

Just as he spoke, the ring on Kim's finger evaporated, leaving her as her normal self. The alien shook his head. "The other human smells funny... Funnier than normal. Is he burnt?"

Ron wheezed out from Kim's arms. "Let me eat something and we will see who is burnt, big guy."

The alien showed its teeth. "Spirited." It extended its meaty and giant hand. "Kilowog."

Ron weakly raised his own and grabbed the giant hand. "The Flash."

"Call me up when you recovered, and you can make good on that word, Flash."

Sinestro turned back to Hal. "Rest, recover and heal your wounds. Guardians will want words with you once you come back to Oa."

All three alien Lanterns constructed a ball around Atrocitus and lifted him. "Farewell for now, Green Lantern of Sector 2814."

They flew off. Both heroes promptly fainted in the arms of ladies.

* * *

Ron and Kim stood near the VTOL on the helipad. Hal was in a wheelchair pushed by Tom. Carol Ferris was giving instructions to the pilot who would fly them home.

Ron, now out of his suit and in the mission clothing, looked a bit better. After devouring no less than five Grande sized meals delivered to him after waking up.

Kim shook Jordan's hand. "You'd make a fine Lantern yourself Kim. Pretty impressive display for someone with no training."

Kim shrugged. "It was nice and all, but not my style."

Ron chimed in. "She prefers to pound her opponents with her bare fists." Kim simply slugged him in the arm as answer.

Hal was restrained and bandaged, but still struggled to get up to shake Ron's hand. Ron and Kim held him there.

"Dude, just stay in the chair."

"You ran half the country and suffered to help me when I should've handled this alone. I owe you a debt Ron-Man."

Kim glared at Ron who held up his hands. "I didn't tell him to call me that."

Kim rolled her eyes. "He calls himself that so I assumed..oh well..."

Hal and Tom shook their heads at the antics of the teenagers. "Seriously though... I didn't think there would be anyone willing to help like that. Call me anytime you need...Well... When I'm on Earth, that is."

"I'll hold you to that. Until next time, Frodo."

Hal laughed then cringed. "Dammit, don't make me laugh... Mr. Motor Mouth."

They bumped fists and the teens departed on the plane.

In transit, Kim felt the need to question Ron. "Okay, why the hell did you go off without dropping a line to me or Wade?"

Ron shrugged. "Had no time. Hal needed assistance pronto."

"How did he even know how to call you?"

"We met before the Winter Formal. He had came down to Tri-City for a chat, found me, we exchanged wisdom."

Kim's eyebrows rose. "You? Wisdom?"

Ron blushed. "Yea, well, I did say to him that I wasn't the ideal person to talk. About the hero thing. Unfortunately, you scare him." He grinned.

"Oh shut up. One with the all powerful ring, the other with all the speed in the world. Stop being babies."

"I can't help it Kim, apparently my default hero stereotype is 'annoying arrogant hero who always needs to crack jokes' cliché."

"Yes, you even managed to schedule yourself a rumble with one of those alien cops. Kudos on that as well. What, fighting garden variety Earth criminals is not enough?"

Ron grimaced. "First the gorilla, now this shit. I sure do hope I get a quiet few months. I won't make it to my senior year at this rate."

Kim patted him on the back. "I'll watch your back to see that you do, don't worry."

Ron simply smiled at Kim then promptly fell asleep after leaning his head backwards.

* * *

Ron wanted to sleep in. Badly. The entire Saturday was tough on him, even with his healing and super stamina.

Apparently, fate had other plans. At eight AM sharp, his door was opened and his mother walked in.

"Get up Ron, there is a girl here to see you."

Ron groaned as he tried to wake up. "Mom, you could just send Kim up."

His mother was unfazed as she answered. "It's not Kim. It's a rather lovely blonde girl." She opened Ron's wardrobe and pulled his usual ensemble out. Also pulled his winter coat out. "Hurry up, she's waiting for you. And comb your hair."

_Blonde girl?... Must be Tara...But why?_

He washed up and dressed. Rufus was still sleeping. It was best not to disrupt his sleep, or Rufus would be grumpy the whole day.

Ron stepped outside to find a heavily dressed Tara. She was wearing a thick winter coat and mufflers, complete with winter gear of normal people. Then Ron understood why his mother wanted him to wear his coat.

It was snowing lightly and already a thin layer of white was covering the ground. It was almost Christmas after all.

Tara just hugged Ron when she saw him. Ron, taken aback by the show of intimacy, didn't do anything at first, stumped.

"Uh...Did something happen Tara?" He also noticed his mother peering from the kitchen window. "Actually, let's go for a walk. Snow is nice and the temperature is soft."

Tara nodded and held his hand. Ron didn't object to this show of intimacy either. He liked this girl more and more as he came to know her. Even if it felt weird to have a girlfriend with him instead of Kim.

The suburban streets were empty. People were either still sleeping or having breakfast in their warm, cozy homes. The thought of breakfast made Ron's stomach grumble.

Tara pulled paper bag from her coat pocket. "Looks like you can get good use out of this bearclaw."

Ron thanked her and took a bite. It was sweet and nicely cooked. His face lighted up.

"This is awesome! Where did you get it at this hour even, I must know the place that sells them!"

Tara giggled and blushed faintly. "I...made them...Well, Mom helped a bit."

Ron's knees shook for half a second. "I simply must have this recipe!" Then he smiled brightly at Tara. "Thank you, really."

"Don't mention it. I like cooking pastry."

"You sure don't show it." Tara half glared at him. He sputtered quickly. "I-I mean, you are so in shape and fit."

Tara giggled again. It was fun making Ron embarrassed, he was unbearably cute when he was.

Ron gobbled up the rest of the bearclaw and sighed happily. "That hit the spot." He saw that they were near the playground with benches. He cleared a spot on a bench for Tara and invited her to sit, shortly joining her on the bench afterwards.

"So, what brings you to the Ron-Man at a snowing Sunday morning?"

Tara looked to her hands, clasped in her lap. "I was worried."

"Worried? About what? Oh, if that's about the test we took on Friday, I totally aced it."

Tara shook her head. "No...I saw the news yesterday." She reached out with her left hand and held Ron's right hand. "About that thing in Coast City."

Ron scratched his neck with his left hand. He stammered out a response. "C-Coast City? Ta-Tara, I-I was nowhere near Coast City yesterday." He felt his hand getting squeezed.

"It's okay Ron." His head turned to take a good look at Tara, who was facing Ron fully now. "I know."

"K-know... what?"

Tara smiled and turned Ron towards herself. Then she trailed a lightning bolt with her right hand. Then she covered the upper half of Ron's head with her hand. "I know."

Ron's eyes grew, finally dropping the pretense. He sighed slowly. "What gave it away?"

She explained what she did to find out. "I didn't tell anyone." She pouted a little. "I'm not stupid."

Ron waved his free hand quickly in a dismissive gesture. "No no, I didn't think you would. It means I was careless."

"Ron, it's okay. I just found out because of some coincidence. And had to be near you to confirm it. It's fine."

She sighed. "Kim knows. I told her I found out at the dance. When you were... gone."

Ron scratched his head. "I'm real sorry about this Tara... I'd understand if you wanted to...you know..." He looked ashamed and his head fell forward.

_I should have known that things couldn't be all good. When has it ever been for me..._

Tara suddenly shook off her slight shyness about the whole thing and brought her hand under Ron's chin, forcing him to look up.

"I'm not going to break up with you idiot. Didn't you hear me? I was worried after the clip they showed you of fighting that... thing. The news never found out what happened afterwards."

Ron smiled faintly. "No need to worry. We got it. It was a bit rough, but we got through." He winked. "I secured a favor from the other guy in green. Kim got to kick around an alien. It all worked out."

Tara let loose a breath as she relaxed. The warm breath made vapor in the cold air and hit Ron's face.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Credits Theme: Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through the Grapevine**

**XXXXXXXXXX**

He suddenly became aware that she was still holding his chin. "So, if not breaking up...?"

Tara smiled. "You do your hero thing and I get to be a fangirl who gets to date the most awesome boyfriend in Tri-City."

Ron pouted slightly. " _Only _ in Tri-City?" He didn't see what was coming his way as he spoke.

Suddenly, soft and warm lips fell on his own, startling him and electrifying his entire body. It felt like the world slowed for him, and he realized, he had just went into superspeed in shock. He slowly let go of the feeling of superspeed, but Tara had moved her head back. Her eyes were wide.

"What... Was that...?" She touched her own lips with amazement.

Ron smiled. "I kinda went into superspeed a bit as you...you know..." He blushed a deep crimson and his face felt burning in the cold air.

"As I did this?" This time, Tara kissed him fully and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Ron didn't hesitate this time either.

_I really like her. Really do._

The kiss deepened as he joined in and wrapped his arms around Tara.

* * *

A short distance away, a pair of sparkling green eyes watched the couple, kissing under the snow.

Kim was making his way towards Ron's house, for their weekly spar. And maybe for some hanging out. She had come upon the scene by accident.

As she watched, something cold and unsettling materialized itself in her gut. She was smiling wistfully, happy for Ron.

For she was happy. She kept telling herself that over and over.

Now if only she could believe it.

* * *

**A.N. Sorry to put out such a long one. The friendships between Green Lanterns and Flashes are integral to their stories, no matter which generation. So that element had to be explored in an origin story befitting the story.**

* * *

_**To be Continued in: "Alone In The Dark."**_


	7. Alone In The Dark

**A.N: Thanks for all the positive feedback. I also appreciate the critics, which were delivered via both a few reviews and private messages. Please keep reviewing and voice any concerns or direct any questions you have via PMs. I'm happy to explain and / or discuss the finer points in storycrafting. **

** UnStoppable Flash **

**Disclaimer: Kim Possible trademark and all characters belong to Disney.**

**DC Comics and all characters belong to Warner Bros.**

**Chapter 7: Alone In The Dark**

Ron simply slugged Drakken directly in the face and knocked him to the ground. He did not even feel the need to crack a few jokes or make fun of the blue skinned villain.

After having a close brush with death during the Grodd sitch and helping GL fight an alien of the most dangerous kind, Team Possible's arch enemy was simply too boring.

He turned to Kim, who was tangling with Shego on the nearby staircase. Kim seemed to be struggling a little. He lazily called out.

"Hey Kim, the doc is packaged. Want help with green and dangerous?" Rufus was jumping on Drakken's face as Ron spoke.

Kim held Shego's plasma with a metal bar ripped from the staircase. "I'm... all... okay..."

"Alrighty then. I'll sit over there and wait." Ron walked over to the Project Phoebus appliance and took a seat on the chair. He yawned as he watched the ongoing fight.

He had a rather late night yesterday, with a few robbers deciding it'd be a Flash-free job if they tried to break into the Upperton's luxuriest jeweller, in the middle of the night. Literally middle of the night, as in three in the morning. Wade had called him, the preteen himself looking like he was still sleeping, relayed the information about the silent alarm, and then promptly fell asleep on the keyboard without cutting the video feed.

Ron didn't think it was a good idea to let that go to waste, so he had spent an additional half an hour going to the school at night, taking a screenshot and printed copy of Wade sleeping and drooling onto his keyboard.

All in all, foiling the robbery, waiting for cops to arrive and doing what he did to have blackmail material against Wade for future had taken him the better part of an hour. Of course, falling asleep again had also been a slight problem. So he was somewhat feeling drowsy. The emergency ride he had taken Kim on his back didn't help the matters either.

He yawned loudly again as Shego and Kim tumbled in front of him. Shego got annoyed and turned to him after kicking Kim away for a second.

"Am I boring you Ronnie?" She glared at the sidekick.

Ron answered with his eyes half-open. "...Sorry, had a long night...By the way." He pointed to Shego's side. Shego turned to find a charging Kim who smashed her right knee into Shego's chest. "That must've hurt."

Shego growled and hurled herself at Kim with anger. Ron leaned back and let his eyes close. "Wake me up when they are done Rufus." Rufus chittered an affirmative and went back to watching the fight while lounging in Ron's pocket.

Shego charged an especially large amount of plasma in her hands and lunged at Kim. Seeing the opportunity, Kim sidestepped and tripped her with an extended foot.

Unfortunately, the controls of Project Phoebus was right behind her and Shego went straight at it. Activating the device by accident.

Ron's eyes were closed, so he didn't notice what was going on. His eyes shot open as soon as he heard a loud buzzing above his head though.

Kim saw what was happening and screamed a warning. "Ron! Watch out!"

The still drowsy Ron couldn't react in time, and the perm machine-looking device closed itself on his head. By the time he had reacted and went into superspeed, he felt something shocking his brain, like pushing a thousand small needles onto it.

Before any more damage from the device could be done, he threw himself out of the chair. As soon as he threw himself on the ground, he felt the pressure on his brain disappearing. An unpleasant sensation, however, remained.

"Woah." He stood up and had a little trouble to balance himself. Kim ran near him and checked him over.

Meanwhile, Shego was collecting Drakken from the ground. "I'm really starting to hate you Ronnie." She called while running with Drakken on her shoulders.

Kim shook Ron slightly to break him out of his stunned state. "Ron, are you okay? Ron?"

Ron shook his own head and lightly tapped his head with his hand. "Woah... Yea, just a bit dizzy." He checked his hair. "Is my hair there? I didn't go bald did I?!"

Rufus peeked from his pocket and blew a raspberry. Ron felt the need to be politically correct. "Not...that there is anything wrong with being bald."

Kim sighed and took his arm, dragging him out of the lab. "Seriously, the fact that you can beat Drakken that easily doesn't mean you can play around. What if that Phoebus was something dangerous?"

Ron pouted. "But I was just resting my eyes for a second! Not like anything new would happen with you and Shego!"

"Meaning?" Kim's voice carried an edge to it that Ron immediately recognized.

_Danger. Danger. _"You'd kick her shapely butt once again, of course. What else?"

Kim nodded with satisfaction. "That's better." Then she squinted at Ron. "Shapely butt?"

Ron deadpanned. "Duh. Engages in physical activity almost daily, more than enough exercise, practicing martial arts. You have the same shapely butt as well." He didn't register what he just said until he actually said it.

_Okay, where the hell did that come from?! _ "From a purely anatomical sense, of course! Gluteus maximus in regularly exercising females tend to lend to a strong back and increased upper leg power. Not to mention aesthetically pleasing." His voice rose a little in fear.

Ron's closed his mouth with his hand.

Kim looked at him incredulously. "What the- How the hell do you even know what a gluteus maximus is?!"

Ron removed his hand from his mouth. His eyes were as wide as saucers. "I've no idea!"

"Whatever happened with that Phoebus device, it did something to you. We need to bring you to Mom and have you checked over."

Ron groaned. Mrs. Dr. P. was a real taskmaster when the topic was health.

* * *

The magnetic resonance machine stopped thumping and Ron finally felt the claustrophobic pod giving way to the small shielded room the MRI was kept in. At the other side of the glass in the shielded room, Anne Possible was perusing the images with a radiologist.

"Mr. Stoppable, you can dress now." The radiologist announced via intercom and Ron left to put his clothes back on in the small changing room nearby.

His mind was racing, often leading him to very fast trains of thought without himself realizing ever since the contact he had with Project Phoebus. He found it incredibly disconcerting.

Kim met up with him outside the changing room. "Are you okay Ron? How's your head?"

"Still the same. Racing." He sat down on a nearby bench and tried to clear his mind. It was an impossible task.

Anne Possible walked out of the MRI room and approached them. She had a concerned look on her face. "Well, there are good news and... incredibly strange news."

Ron didn't even lift his head. Kim shot a questioning look at her mother.

"Good news is that there is no tumor, mass, unidentified points or anything pointing towards a harmful situation. Whatever this Project Phoebus was, it's not killing Ron."

Ron groaned. "Sure feels like I'm dying. The back of my head and ears are on fire."

Anne put a hand on his hunched shoulders. "The strange news is that... Well, your brain is operating at a simply incomprehensible intensity. Honestly, if I didn't know better, I'd say the readings are close to a real super genius' MRI readings, while they were working on an incredibly complex problem."

Kim got an inkling of what her mother was suggesting, but couldn't believe it. "Wait wait wait, are you telling me that _ Ron's _ brain is operating like a genius?"

The brain surgeon had an idea. She pulled out a blank pad and pen from her lab coat and gave them to Ron. "Ron honey, could you write down the equation to find L2 orbit for me."

Ron mechanically answered. " The equation balancing gravitation and inertia to find the approximate location?"

"Yes. Just jot it down."

Ron did it almost immediately. His hands had also moved a bit too faster than normal. Kim took the pad after he was done. On it was an equation she didn't recognize. And it looked far too complicated for anything Ron had ever written in his life.

Her mom took it and nodded slowly. "See, I know this is the correct equation." Kim looked questioningly. "Your father has a small sticker on his briefcase for it. I believe it's a rocket scientist internal joke."

Kim put that useless piece of information aside and turned to the matter at hand. "Ron, how do you even know the equation for such a thing?"

Ron lifted his head and looked at Kim with a little bit of desperation. "KP, do I look remotely like that I'd know such a thing? I have no idea! Hell, actually I do have an idea but I'd need a textbook on brain physiology to ascertain it." He shook his head. "Okay see, I said 'ascertain.' I don't use these words normally!"

Anne brought them to her office and handed Ron a book just like he wanted. Meanwhile, Kim had Wade scan Ron via the Kimmunicator.

After two minutes of Ron going through the book at superspeed, he closed it and sighed. Anne Possible's jaw had nearly dropped when she saw how fast he went through it. Kim didn't blame her mother. The sight of Ron using his superspeed in scholastic applications was really disturbing and a bit awing at first.

Ron leaned back and took a deep breath. "I'm sure of it now. Project Phoebus activates all dormant neurons in the brain, also activating long term memory clusters that would normally be impossible to access unless one had an eidetic memory. In addition to boosting brain's operating capacity to its limits, it also allows super fast connectivity. And it did so by implanting a foreign brain-wave pattern onto my own!"

"The freaking thing turned me into a super genius!" He looked a bit angry.

Kim turned to the Kimmunicator and looked at Wade. The pre teen genius could only nod. _ "What he said is completely consistent with my readings and those MR images Kim. Ron is now effectively a more intelligent and capable genius than I am."_ He took a moment to collect his thoughts. _ "Hell, he is probably the most intelligent person on the planet, if what I suspect is happening."_

"_ That _ is most definitely happening Wade! And it's almost hurting me!" Ron grimaced again.

Kim looked between Ron and the device's screen. "What? What's happening?!"

Ron massaged his temples and pointed towards Wade on the screen. The pre-teen complied with his wordless request. _"Ron's brain moves as fast as he does, meaning he is able to think extremely quickly. He is able to read a book at super speed, and retains this information in his short term memory just long enough to implement whatever he has learned. This much you have seen. That's how he crams ten minutes before the exams and aces them."_

Kim half-glared at Ron. "I was wondering how you scored an A at that algebra test when I could only get an A minus."

Wade continued. "_Using this sort of "super brain" ability, he is able to calculate multiple trains of thoughts and act on them in mere miliseconds, at most a second. That's how he fights in superspeed."_

Kim began to understand. "But now that all his neurons are unleashed..." She slowly closed her hand over her mouth in shock. Dr. Possible had also understood what Wade was getting at and was gazing at Ron with almost reverence.

_"He is probably going in and out of his slow motion perception, simultaneously calculating an almost endless possibilities and processing a huge number of thoughts."_

Ron suddenly said something, but he had spoken so fast that it lasted less than a second and he sounded like a fast forwarding tape. He coughed and tried again. " I've calculated the odds of me surviving past fifty almost a thousand times with _all _ the variables plugged in, and the numbers don't look good! Someone please sedate me or I'm gonna go crazy!"

Kim turned to her mother. Anne just sighed and went outside the office to get a few doses of sedatives.

* * *

Ron woke up on the Possible's couch after a long, chemically induced sleep. Anne Possible had insisted on keeping him under surveillance and his mother had quickly agreed to whatever measure the board certified neurosurgeon saw fit to.

That didn't mean he was happy about it. Wade had expressly forbidden any hero work for him until the effects wore off or Ron learnt to control them.

Also, his suit was in repair after the last tango with the red alien.

Kim had hovered over him until he slept after getting injected by a heavy dose of sedative shot. Apparently, she had gone up to her room. He checked the clock on the wall of the living room. It read 6:08 AM.

With his brain kicking back in, he found it impossible to sleep. Fortunately, his brain was not hurting anymore, and he could somewhat keep it on a normal speed, not allowing any superspeed vibration to kick in.

That didn't mean that he was normal though. His brain wouldn't stop working. So he let it work.

* * *

Kim woke up earlier than she normally would. Yesterday was yet another crazy day in their lives, what with Ron gaining super intelligence and super sentience. She had left him sleeping soundly on the couch downstairs last night.

When she descended downstairs, she found a crumpled blanket on the couch, the tweebs' mini rocket, looking oddly finished and a paper near it on the table.

_'KP, woke up and feeling loads better. Figured out a way to focus myself. Tell Tim and Jim that the propulsion system was fixed, it should be optimally working now. See ya in school.'_

Kim had resolved last night to find the scientist responsible for Project Phoebus and get answers. Ron didn't seem highly stable to her, no matter what he wrote on the note.

_I'll get Wade to get me the name and arrange a ride after school. _

_Now if only we can get through today normally._

Which was not gonna happen. Fate had other, more sinister plans.

Tara found Ron at the lockers when she arrived at the school. He seemed to be flipping pages on a book she didn't recognize. Deciding to surprise him, she snuck behind and put her hands above his eyes.

"Guess who I am Ron!"

Ron's answer was mechanical. "The calculated degree of the hands in respect to the connected arm behind me suggests someone with an estimated height of five foot two to three inches. Hands are equally petite with soft tissue, albeit calluses on the sides from presumably holding a cheer leader pom pom. Voice is feminine, action itself is overly familiar. Only possible conclusion to your identity would be Tara King, cheer leader and girlfriend to Ron Stoppable."

Tara blinked as she retracted her hands. "What?"

Ron turned around and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, got hit by a... brainwaveenhancingmachinethatturnedmeintoasupergenius."

Tara blinked again. "Ron, are you okay?"

Ron forced himself to take a deep breath and explained what happened to him as slowly as he could manage.

Tara rubbed her temple as she tried to understand. "So, you are now some sort of ...ultra genius?"

"More or less. I'm hoping temporarily. You wouldn't believe how many distractions are in this world we live in everyday, once you start noticing every little detail."

"Distractions. I hope I am not one." Tara pouted slightly, teasing Ron.

"Oh you are very definitely one. Very distracting." He lowered his head for a quick kiss. Which lasted a bit longer than he intended. "Very distracting indeed." Then he stopped and realized, he wouldn't just do this normally.

Kim was at her locker, watching the couple, and more so Ron in particular. He looked fine, if a bit hyper, even for himself. She went near them and nudged Ron in the ribs.

"C'mon you two, Miss Whisp and Algebra awaits."

Tara and Ron had the decency to blush and look away as they walked to class. Ron had the naiveté to think that maybe this day wouldn't be so bad, against all his calculations.

He should have known better than to tempt fate like that.

From there, it all went downhill.

"We'll go with an F on this one Mr. Stoppable." Miss Whisp slammed his homework on his table.

Ron sputtered and straightened himself in his chair. "Wha-what?! How in the name of holy cheese and nacos that you can give that an F?!"

"Your assignment demonstrates a comprehension of not only Algebra, but also Advanced Calculus and Chaos Theory mathematics. Which means it was clearly completed by someone else!" The rotund teacher looked angry as she glared at Ron.

Kim sighed. They should've seen this coming.

Ron was not about to give in though. His brain was already racing. "Oh, because you'd know about these things, wouldn't you Miss Whisp? I mean, you yourself have such a firm grasp on the theories that you teach at a high school." He was angry, and at his current state, keeping his mind focused on a single task meant that controlling what he did at it was incomprehensibly harder.

"Let's cut the bullshit and lay our cards. That assignment I handed in has been done entirely by me. No one else. Me. Second, there are maybe ten people in a ten mile radius with the qualities you described, all of them works at the nearby Science Center, and none of them would help a high school student cheat on his paper like that! Furthermore, what atrociously idiotic, mindless equivalent of a dead fly would actually turn in a paper _ that complicated_ if it wasn't their own work?!"

He realized he had shot up and now standing instead of sitting. This had also the added bonus of slightly leveling the field with the reasonably tall woman. He became aware of a hand grabbing his own right hand. Tara was holding it, from the chair next to his.

"Calm down Ron, she just didn't know that you had that thing going on."

Miss Whisp shook herself from the shock of Ron Stoppable exploding like that, and moved onto her planned trap. This was not the ideal situation she had planned to bust Ron, but it would do. " Well then, based on the proficiency you demonstrated in your homework, this PhD level equation should be easy peasy for you."

Ron took one look at the equation and snorted. "That's a PhD level equation? It's just a differential equation of fourth order at the axis along the curve denoted by sine squared with all the possible components of a summation in a simple squareroot function. It's pathetic."

When everyone else looked to his face with blank expressions, he rolled his eyes, walked upto the board and quickly outlined a solution. The complete solution would take the length of at least four boards of that size.

Miss Whisp couldn't believe what she was seeing, so she immediately looked at the textbook she had brought to check the solution. "Ronald, that's correct!"

"Hell yeah it's correct. Now can you please grade my homework _ properly? Please?_ "

Miss Whisp had other notions. She stood with stars in her eyes. "The world has a new prodigy! There was Aristoteles, Newton, Einstein and now-"

Ron cut her off right there. "Oh I'm so not gonna play along. Miss Whisp, I'm so not a prodigy and most definitely no intention of announcing myself as one. So let's just continue the class, please." He walked back to his seat and sat back. He grimaced a little as his focus faltered from his frustration and let himself go into slow motion time.

It took him half a minute to finally get a grip. Whisp didn't say anything, but it was apparent he was gonna get harassed after class for sure.

After the class, as he predicted, Whisp wanted him to stay behind a bit. "Ronald, no matter the case before, you are a treasure to the world now. We must help you reach your full potential immediately!"

"Uh-huh. Yea, Miss Whisp, sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm not a super genius. I just got hit by a device developed by the government that makes one so. And let me tell you, this entire genius sitch sucks!"

Miss Whisp didn't have any answers to that retort, but didn't relent either. "No matter the source Ronald, we must utilize your full potential!"

"Yea, sorry to be so rude, but I'm outta here." Ron took his bag and walked out of the classroom. "Feel free to assign more homework if you feel punishment is necessary for my behaviour."

Outside, he met with a worried looking Tara and anxious Kim. He turned to his best friend. "Kim, we gotta deal with this, and pronto! She's gonna blab to everyone about my sitch, and it's just gonna get worse."

Kim showed her the Kimmunicator. "I'll take a ride to the place where the ex director of the Project Phoebus lives. He could provide answers."

Ron's head started to ache again. He wobbled slightly and both girls grabbed his arms before he fell. "Woah, light headed." He looked at his hands and then body. "Oh damn, the combined taxing on my metabolism by my supercharged molecules with this new brain means that I'm running out of fuel. I won't be able to sustain myself at this rate. Autophage will start unless I ingest complex carbohydrates within the next thirty minutes."

Kim decided that this was getting out of hand. She motioned to the smaller girl. "Tara, take him and make sure he eats something at least twice an hour. If that doesn't work, go to the nurse's office and have him hooked up to an IV drip."

Tara took Ron's arm and tightly held it. "Where are you going?"

"We can't wait on this, so I'll leave now."

Ron grumbled as his stomach groaned louder than himself. "Drakken is so going to take one on the chin for this one, next time I see him."

* * *

Ron was put to sleep again, this time with an IV drip hooked up to him. According to the information Kim had obtained from the now hermit professor, the effect of the Phoebus device was going to wear off in the following two to four days. With unanimous decision by Kim, her mother and Ron's mother, he was put in Possible's guest room and was going to remain in supervision until he turned back to normal.

That didn't mean he stopped thinking. And being scooped up in that room was maddening. He borrowed tools from the twins to do some tinkering on various devices. He tricked out the watch Wade had given him for one thing. Then wrote a manual for it for his future use.

That didn't stop there. He invented a far more advanced earpiece for his speedsuit by nothing more than various trash the twins had in their room. On their request, he did tweaking on a number of their devices as well. He didn't let Kim know of course, or she'd probably kill him herself for supplying 'Tweebs' with more dangerous equipment.

He experimented with a few applications of his own power. Jotted down a lot more theories he couldn't test. Eventually though, he was almost done with almost anything he could do physically at the end of the first day of his house arrest.

Then he was forced to stop acting and thinking. It was apparent that, even when his brain was on the overdrive, he was more on the action side than thinking side as a person. To not go crazy with his own thoughts, he contemplated many things.

Not the least of them was regarding his feelings about his relationship with Tara. They had been dating for nearly two months, and he had accepted that he liked her a lot. But in the clarity of immense brain power he temporarily possessed, Ron was forced calculate almost an unlimited number of scenarios and implications about said relationship.

He found out that he simply had no answer when it came down to the question of why Tara was attracted to him at the first place. Even without his eventual transformation and the subsequent exposure to the blonde cheer leader, it was implied and strongly told by Kim that the girl held a torch for him.

As for his general feelings though, he had clearer answers. Actually, he had far more clear thoughts than many people would never achieve in their lifetimes. The only other matter he was completely stumped on was his friendship with Kim. No matter how he analyzed it, the odds were astronomically against someone like her and him staying friends all these years.

The only logical conclusion was that there was a hidden element to their dynamic that he couldn't observe or detect, even with super intelligence.

Ron also became aware of many other things. About himself and about how the world worked in general. He felt strangely melancholic, as this version of himself would cease to exist in a matter of hours. He hated being this freaky unnatural genius, but it didn't change the fact that what he had figured out was going to evaporate.

Or was it? He suddenly had an idea. He hooked up a portable keyboard twins used for programming rockets to his watch. He programmed a series of subroutines into the watch and then set it for upload to a remote location once the parameters were met.

"Phoebus Protocol. Code Alpha. Log Entry One." He started speaking to the watch.

* * *

Ron had finally returned to normal, not to say it wasn't a bit vexing on Kim's nerves, but genius Ron had been a serious pain in the ass. The final two days he had spent in Possible guest room was a veritable cornucopia of electronic devices going in and back out, tweebs being dragged away from the room to leave Ron alone, and the weirdest part where was Ron seemed to be talking whenever Kim listened in through the door.

_"He's one hundred percent Ron again. No foreign brain waves left to imprint on his own. His neurons are over activated, but they will also settle down." _Wade seemed like he was going to continue, then simply bid them a good day and terminated the connection.

Ron sighed and leaned to his locker. He had not told this to Kim or Wade, but the last two days were completely lost on him. He could remember the previous two days before that with the super intellect active, but he had no recollection of the last two.

Still, he decided to forget the ordeal and move on. Tara held his hand as Kim closed her locker after speaking to Wade. She seemed to keep Ron in close company, what with the unbidden bout of geniusness making Ron a very irritable person.

Kim shrugged as three of them walked to their classes. "So, Miss Whisp finally calmed down?"

"Oh, that she did. After writing that sideways eight infinity symbol on my detention slip. Apparently, I have 'denied the world of decades of advancement in a matter of days.'"

"You could've simply done what she asked. It'd not be a bad thing to solve a few problems along the ride."

Ron looked horrified. "Oh right, would you like me to announce my name and identity as the... other guy as well?"

Kim shook her head. "I don't follow."

Tara nodded along. "Sorry, but I don't get it either."

Ron sighed as they walked. "Look, I might not be a genius, well, anymore, but there's one deduction he made that I agree wholeheartedly. Ron Stoppable must not be too inconsistent or too much in the spotlight. It's best if I stay in the background."

"And why is that? You liked being a total loser?" All three of them froze as they walked when they heard Bonnie speak. The brunette had snuck up on them.

Ron couldn't come up with a good answer on the spot and Kim was ready to go nuclear, as it was the case usually whenever Bonnie was around. So Tara took charge. She let go of Ron and hooked her arm with Bonnie's.

"Ron just likes a quiet time and his 'marination' periods B. You know, I think we are due for one of those ourselves. What do you say that we plan a trip to the beauty parlor this weekened?" She shot a smile at Ron and Kim and walked off towards the class with the brunette in tow.

"Nice save." Ron exclaimed after the two girls were a bit ahead.

"Yes, but let's keep the...uh, super chats for time after the school, 'kay?"

* * *

Kim laid down on her bed, somewhat exhausted from the day she had. Cheer leading practice, while usually a relaxing outlet for her, was just plain vexing on her nerves that day as Bonnie kicked up the bitchiness a notch.

To be honest, she had other concerns as well. Moving aside from her reservations about Tara and Ron's relationship, Kim was also taking a look at herself, in hero business department. She had managed to help with the alien last time, albeit with the help of an all powerful ring itself.

And Kim had to concede the fact that the power and the ability to properly play back up or even a partner to Ron's alter ego had felt incredibly good. All the other times she had tried to help Flash had either ended with her as a crutch or at best, a non-factor.

She was just not suitable to being a sidekick. Which was ironic, because Ron, purposefully Kim suspected, was letting her take all the spotlight and many of the heroic deeds when they were doing their missions as Team Possible, ever since he became Flash. He was comfortable being the sidekick, and had exclaimed this very fact before his accident with the lightning bolt many times.

Unfortunately, she was just not built that way. And now that she had seen some really disastrous situations alongside Flash, she was forced to fully acknowledge what Oliver Queen had tried to tell them weeks ago.

She was falling behind, and unless she somehow gained entrance to a super secret ninja school, Kim couldn't see a way out of her predicament. Of course, she was incredibly well-versed and capable compared to an average human, but that didn't cut it.

Her bench press was twice her own body weight, her running speed, agility and reflexes were on par with the best of track and field club in school, her uncanny ability to master fighting styles was nothing short than prodigious. All in all, Kim knew that she was near the peak of physical human limitations... Yet at the end of the day, Ron was vastly more powerful due to his genetic alteration. And she had no way of helping him conventionaly.

She sat up on her bed and mumbled to herself. This was way beyond pathetic, this feeling sorry for herself because she could not measure up to her best friend. If she were to be honest with herself, Ron deserved that power way more than she did. No, she was fine with Ron being the Flash. It was the fact that she, **the Kim Possible, ** was nothing more than a big fish in a small pond. In comparison, Flash was probably going to be hailed as one of the most popular superheroes in the future.

Heck, they had seen action figures of him floating around in kids' hands when they were last at New York.

_Maybe I should just call it a job well done, having helped him grow into his role, and having done lots of good as myself and just shut down the website?_

_Wade wouldn't be too heartbroken about it. I mean, he could form a full time team with Ron to create a system far more effective than ours. Ron wouldn't have to waste time and effort as something he no longer is, the buffoonish sidekick._

_And I'd have a lot more time to devote to school and extra curriculars. Maybe finally get a few real dates once I stop roundhousing some goon on national television._

"Yea... Maybe I should talk to Wade..."

Her clock beeped, signifying a new hour. She stood up and started getting dressed. She and Monique were going to go to the 'feel-good movie of the year.'

After getting their tickets from a new worker, a Hispanic girl their age, instead of the dreaded Lamar, they got to their seats as fast as they could. The venue was packed with couples.

_Looks like everyone had the same idea._

Monique was gobbling down popcorn near her at an almost Ron-ish speed. When Kim looked at her, she just shrugged. "I like to get it done before the movie so we can watch it in peace." She casually placed her left arm on the arm rest.

Kim fumbled to find a location to lean onto. When she and Ron went to movies, Ron would always go for right side arm rests, leaving Kim to always sit at the left seat and take the right arm rest for herself. Apparently Monique was the exact opposite on her movie watching habits.

The fashion guru squinted at Kim as they waited for movie to start. "Okay, I went along with you when you offered to hit the movies together and cool with the movie itself, but girlfriend, you are acting like this is your first time here." Slowly, a knowing smile spread to her face. "Unless, you usually do these things with Mr. Runningback and your routine got broken since he is otherwise indisposed?"

Kim scoffed. "Pfft. That's so not about Ron. Heck, we wouldn't even be at this movie if Ron was here. He hates feel-good date movies. He never watches them."

"Could've fooled me girl." Monique pointed to somewhere a bit lower and in the front side of the theater. Kim followed her hand and looked at where she was pointing.

Sure enough, she easily spied a couple a few rows afar. The male had messy sandy blonde hair and the presumably female one had wavy platinum blonde. She already had her head on the male's shoulder. Kim instantly realized who they were.

"Looks like he does watch them after all." Monique looked at Kim knowingly.

"He... He is just being a good boyfriend. I mean, you'd go to a movie like this if your date asked you." Kim didn't realize she had grabbed the arm rest and squeezed it enough to crack it.

"Uh-huh." Monique's face contorted into a weird contemplative look before she returned to watching the silver screen. She had let go of the arm rest and left it to Kim. She didn't bring up the issue again, but her face held the knowing smile all the day after that.

* * *

After the movie, Kim and Monique had sat down at Bueno Nacho for some hot drinks and even hotter food. The bitter cold of January was seeping in every time the joint's door was opened, but Kim didn't mind.

Her Kimmunicator beeped as Monique made small talk about a new line of clothing in Club Banana. "Wade! What's the sitch?" She could really use a sitch full of punching right about now.

_"You got an urgent message Kim. From your dad. Trouble at the Space Center."_

"Again? It's not another mutant gorilla I hope."

Wade shook his head. _"I don't think so. This sounded a bit closer to home. I'm calling up Ron."_

"Wade, I can handle talking to my dad without Ron." _ Let's keep the loverboy at his date._

Wade seemed uncertain. _"Well, if you are sure... He was, uh, running an errand." _ Wade had learnt not to speak openly on Kimmunicator after a few close calls.

Kim's spirit was suddenly lifted a bit, but she didn't change her mind. "I'll talk to Dad myself. Then we can see if we need him for the sitch."

* * *

Kim sighed for the tenth time that hour. Not only they needed Ron, but they also apparently needed her cousin Larry as well.

Her father had acted all secretive and tight lipped until they made into the robotics lab. Apparently, an artificial intelligence prototype designed for the top secret unmanned Jupiter mission was stolen. The previous project head Professor Pressly having been murdered by Grodd, the project was essentially unable to replace the AI. And the current scientist on the project, Dr. Fenn, needed quiet assistance to retrieve it, hence Dr. Possible recruiting Kim for the task.

While there were a few inconsistencies that bugged Kim about the sitch, it was apparent something was stolen. The analysis of a long hair strand on the scene had revealed a young blonde female was on the scene. Dr. Fenn had identified a possible culprit as Vivian, his ex lab partner.

And now, to catch her trail at a place called Robot Rumble, they were on their way to Larry's house. Wade had identified the secret gathering, but entrance was by invitation only, and Larry was a member.

Ron was driving them to her aunt's house in another part of town, on his scooter. Finally, they arrived at the house and stopped in front of a mailbox with 'West' writing on it.

"This is the place." Kim shivered. She didn't look forward to spending time with Larry again.

"Oh relax, I wish I met him that time instead of tangling with Monty. As I said, majorly fun guy by the looks of it." Rufus agreed as they proceeded to the door. After ringing the bell, her aunt June showed up at the door.

"Oh Kimmie, come in! What a nice surprise, Larry will be overjoyed. Watch out for-"

A small boy with her aunt's matte auburn hair ran down the stairs and crashed into Ron, sending both of them to the ground.

"Wally..." June sighed as her younger boy kept grinding on her nerves. "Wally, get off your cousin's friend and go finish cleaning up your room."

Ron picked himself up from the ground and took a look at the small boy in question. He was wearing a red shirt with his own insignia on it, meaning that this kid was a fan of his extra curricular work. Funny part was that he was also wearing goggles on his eyes.

"Kid, next time you are running, you might wanna scope out your lane first. Running without watching is sure to get you hurt." He helped Wally off the ground and patted his shirt for dust.

The little kid gave him a toothy grin and turned towards his best friend. "Kim, Kim! Is it true that you met Flash? What's he like? How tall is he? How fast is he? What does he look like?"

"Wally!" June was about to blow a fuse. "Your room! Now! You can pester Kimmie next week when the family game night comes around!"

The kid grumbled and climbed the stairs with apparent disappointment. June massaged her temples. "Sorry about that young man, he's always running around these days."

Ron smiled and shook his head. "Adorable really. I see that he is a fan of the Flash. By the way, Ron Stoppable at your service." He gave a slightly exaggarated bow.

"Oh, so you are Kimmie's best friend. Nice to meet you Ron."

"Well, that's a healthy seven year old boy Aunt June." Kim looked around for her older cousin. "Is Larry around? We need his, uh, expertise on a case of ours."

June's eyebrow rose. "Nothing dangerous I hope?"

"Oh no, we just want to pick his brain on something."

"Well, he is at his room in basement like always. At least he stays still mostly. Wally just runs all the time in the house making those weird sounds with his mouth."

Kim and Ron exchanged a look and descended to Larry's room. Who was more than happy to help them. He and Ron had hit it off right away, almost launching into a full blown geek fest before Kim intervened.

Larry brought them to somewhere in downtown Middleton at early night time.

"The robot rumble is a community. A gathering where enthusiasts exchange information and test the robots' competitive capabilities. It's for members only." Larry activated a secret elevator on the street and led them down below the street level.

"So a bunch of tech geeks get together to watch robots fight." Kim wondered aloud.

Larry sighed as he reveled in the memories of the bloody, uh, oily carnage. "It's glorious."

The elevator finally stopped and the doors opened to give way to an underground rail system. Ron was digging the cloak and dagger secrecy.

"Bon-diggity! Sounds like the factory of Vultan beyond Omega Seven!" They boarded an open top rail cart with seating on it.

"It's all that, and more my friend." Larry activated the cart with a sinister grin on his face. The cart lurched forward at top speed.

"Tread lightly with Vivian. Her boyfriend Oliver founded the rumble." Larry snickered. "He's a wild man."

"Let's wait till he meets the Ron-Man, then we can see who is the wildest man alive."

Kim elbowed him in the ribs. The cart stopped near a red door with lighting. A scanning bulb device turned towards them and demanded with a robotic voice. "Member identification."

Larry walked forward and exclaimed loudly. "Imperial Senator Bernalice." He turned to the teen heroes and explained. "My codename." He put on a stupid looking head gear and walked in. "Stay close... And don't embarrass me."

Kim decided some thanks were in order. "Thanks for getting us in Larry."

"That's what cousins are for, cousin. Now if only you could get Flash to meet Wally, and I think his life would be complete. I'd also like to discuss the physics behind his powers, I have ideas for a fanfic I'm going to write."

Kim and Ron exchanged another telling look on that comment.

They arrived at the scene of several geeks loudly screaming and shouting at a pit in the center. Two robots with deadly looking instruments were battling it out. Ron loved it of course. "Badical!"

Kim scanned the crowd and picked out the beautiful blonde Vivian amongst the crowd almost immediately. It was hard not to, amongst all the geeks around. There was also the fact that she stood really tall at six foot height.

She greeted the young scientist. "Vivian? My name is Kim Possible."

"Oooh, there was a Dr. Possible at the Space Center."

"My dad."

"He's nice."

"Yeah... He asked me to help Fenn."

Vivian immediately changed tunes. "Not nice. I don't wanna help Fenn. Oliver!"

A six foot tall, overweight guy with a geek's haircut and clothes walked near them, slightly intimidating both Kim and Ron. Then he set down a robot. Which then expanded into a seven foot tall monstrosity as they watched.

Upon the challenge and Wade's wonderful idea of entering competition with Kimmunicator's portable mode as a remote controlled robot, they watched the big robot chasing around Wade's device. Wade held the upper hand in speed and maneuverability, but Oliver's robot was simply too well geared and too big.

Wade managed to bank a tight turn and make the big robot crash once, but the second time he tried that, the robot anchored and flipped itself on the wall. Ron's eyes grew.

"Robot is learning as it goes!"

Kim nodded grimly. "Artificial intelligence." The other robot finally caught up and bludgeoned the poor Kimmunicator.

Kim confronted Vivian. "Your robot thinks for itself. Where'd you get it?"

"Not at the Space Center, if that's what you are insinuating, Miss Possible."

Oliver reacted almost violently. "You're calling Vivian a thief?! Nobody insults my Vivian!" The other robot appeared behind Kim and seemed like it was going to strike her for a moment.

And then it suddenly began to shake and give out sparkles. It lurched forward and fell down with a loud thud. They saw Ron with his right arm outstretched still, holding a few important looking parts. The robot had a fist sized hole in its back.

"And nobody threatens Kim Possible while I'm around." He threw the parts on the ground and took his place near Kim.

The other geeks seemed intimidated and Larry looked at Ron with newfound respect. Oliver seemed angry. He advanced on Ron as he shouted. "It was just going to show you outside! Now I have to rebuild it all over again!"

"Rebuild it? You stole this prototype from Space Center!" Kim retorted. This time, Oliver didn't mince words. He just tried to punch Kim out.

Again, Ron was there. He caught the fist in the air and held it. Then his eyes grew. The force of the blow was much greater than he anticipated from an overweight nerd with almost no defined muscle mass. He also noticed something else. "What the-" He ducked behind Oliver's other fist flying towards him and bent the first arm he caught behind his back.

Then, he did something really odd and touched Oliver's forehead with his free hand. Just as Kim was about to ask what he was doing, he did one more thing, which scared Kim a little bit. He pulled Oliver's bent right arm towards the side and _popped it off_ like a toy.

"Yea, that figures." He looked to a mortified looking Larry and Kim. "Oh relax, he's not human. Look." He showed the arm to them, which was clearly robotic with just a skin look a like substance on it.

Kim had tons of questions in her head, but started with the obvious one. "If Oliver himself was a robot, who..." Her head turned to Vivian. "You built him."

Vivian sighed and turned around. "Looks like we are calling it for today people." The geeks filed out slowly, but all of them was looking at Oliver and Vivian with something akin to awe. The scientist turned to Ron. "What gave it away?"

Ron touched Oliver's forehead. "No body heat. In fact, he was downright cold when I touched him. Almost like a metallic feeling." He inspected Oliver closely as the humanoid robot gathered himself up from the ground. "This is probably the most badical robot I've ever seen."

Kim had to agree. Which lent itself to many other questions as well. "Ron's right. In fact, Oliver is a self-evolving AI just like this one, no?" She pointed to the first one Ron took out of commission.

Vivian leaned down and reset the de-activated robot to its original size. "Yes. Oliver was an earlier work I had collaborated with another colleague when I was an undergrad. After I came to Middleton and joined the Space Center's robotics team, I joined Pressly's team in designing the A.I. that would oversee the Jupiter mission. Pressly knew my earlier work and had asked me to program specific heuristics for both the mission and the A.I.'s self existential awareness itself."

Kim began to understand. "But then Grodd, uh, the mutant gorilla attacked..."

Vivian nodded as she picked up the parts Ron had pulled out of the robot. "Pressly was the only one that knew who was actually doing the programming. Fenn is an old wash-up that doesn't have a single peer-reviewed article to his name. He used the chaos after the attack to usurp Pressly's vacancy, and then ousted the three others on the project to other departments."

Kim pointed to Ron's watch and signaled him to activate connection to Wade. Ron did as she asked. "Wade, run a few searches based on the information we are about to relay to you."

Vivian continued as Ron quietly explained the sitch to Wade. "Fenn realized who exactly Dr. V.F. Porter was. I was signing the articles with that signature and put in my digital signature into the programming as such. When it became clear that he wanted to claim my work for himself, I quit and took my own project with me."

Wade's voice chimed in from the watch. _"Kim, her story checks out. There is not a single article of Fenn's in any respectable journals, and even his graduate thesis was investigated for plagiarism. Dr. Vivian Frances Porter on the other hand is quite prominent. Bachelor's at sixteen and PhD at twenty one years old. Dozens of articles of quantum heuristics and artificial intelligence programming."_

Ron turned to Kim. "So, what do we do? Get your dad and explain the whole mess?"

Kim tapped her chin while thinking. "No. Dad would need proof to take this to the review board and the authorities. We need to make Fenn confess." She turned to Vivian. "If you were there, I think he would crack a lot faster."

Ron was perturbed by one thing. "Okay, time out. So let me get this straight. She looks like _that _** and **is a genius? I cannot compute the sitch. Hell, I don't even understand why she had the robot pose as her BF."

Kim glared sideways at Ron. "Excuse him, he is a bit thick headed. But really, why the secrecy?"

Vivian explained with her hands at her hip, showing off her great figure. "My colleagues were not ready to take someone who looks like me seriously."

Kim sighed. "Figures. Men. Anyway, let's meet up tomorrow after school. Fenn will probably be in the robotics lab then."

Vivian escorted them to the exit. "I'll fix Oliver and the other A.I. in the meantime." She touched Ron's arm. "I need to ask, how did you punch through the back plating of my robot like that?"

Ron shrugged. "It was a thin plating that grew out of that little guy. No big."

"It was an aluminum-steel alloy. Not exactly the best material around, but it should've been able to stop someone punching."

Ron scratched his neck and looked at Kim for assistance. Kim sighed and cut in. "He plays football, lots stronger than he looks."

Larry looked at Ron with awe as they ascended back to the streets. "I didn't know you played sports. Genuine physical activity, how's that like?"

Ron grinned. "Scary. But exciting."

* * *

Kim delivered the self-evolving AI robot to Fenn shortly after school. Then she and Ron set up shop near the Space Center and waited for Vivian. She showed up with a fixed 'Oliver' and went inside the Center.

After two minutes, teens followed suit and proceeded towards the robotics lab. Getting in was easy with the clearance provided by James Possible.

When they had arrived, Oliver was already advancing on Fenn. "I constructed that robot and you wanted to steal it!"

Fenn grabbed the little robot. "That's a dangerous accusation!"

"I'm all about danger!" The robot advanced on Fenn. Vivian joined to Oliver but held it back.

"Calm down Ollie. He'll get what's coming to him."

At that point, Fenn saw Kim. "Ah, Miss Possible. Please call security."

Kim crossed her arms in front of her as she glared at the fraud scientist. "Oh I will. And you'll give back the robot you wanted us to steal!" Fenn was shocked, but Kim kept going. "You staged the whole theft to hide the fact that you never developed a thinking robot. You're not a good enough scientist."

Fenn cracked like an Easter egg. "So what! I've got the reputation here, I've got the robot! You can prove nothing! Stay away!" He ran for the door, holding the prototype robot.

As he passed by a support beam, a foot stuck out in front of him and tripped him. Ron caught the robot in the air when Fenn tripped and looked down on the scientist. "Actually, thanks to you, they can prove all of it."

He set the robot down and it started to play back what Fenn had just confessed. Vivian came near and patted the prototype on the head. "Good job Tornado." She saw Kim and Ron's blank looks. "Oh, it's this baby's designation. It had a long and boring acronym, I changed it. I'll paint him red next time."

Kim's father ran into the lab with two security guards. "Kimmie, is everything all right?!"

Kim waved dismissively. "It's all okay Dad. We caught the thief and found the robot."

James Possible looked at the scene with Vivian standing free while Ron standing over Fenn with one of his foot on the fraud's back. "You'll have to walk me through this one honey."

Kim smiled. "Long story short; Vivian genius, Fenn fraud. She built the robots."

James Possible smiled and relaxed. This explained a lot of inconsistencies with Fenn. "Well doctor, we seem to have a vacancy in our robotics lab. Would you be interested in the job?"

Vivian broke out a huge smile and nodded.

As security took Fenn, Kim and Ron fist bumped. "Another day, another mission cleared."

"Nice job figuring out the story Kim."

"And nice job on realizing Oliver was a robot. That saved us a lot of time and effort."

"Gotcha. Hey, wanna hit Bueno Nacho before I take off for patrol? Rufus has been pestering me about it." The mole rat peeked from Ron's pocket and nodded enthusiastically.

Kim smiled as well. It had been some time that they had taken some time off. "Let's go."

* * *

It had been a few days since the Vivian-Fenn sitch, but Kim was still trying to deal with her thoughts on retiring. It had felt good to foil a blatant crime like that, but the situation had not changed.

So she toyed around with the idea of taking Ron and Wade for a long talk. _ I gotta plan this though. Otherwise they'll just refuse and want me to stay in the game to spare my feelings._

Just as she was about to place a call for Wade, the Kimmunicator beeped. Wade showed through.

"Hi Wade. I was just about to call you."

_"Really? What about?"_

"Well it's a long story."

_"It'll have to wait then. I got a call on the website by an archeological excavation team in Greece. There has been a new discovery of a shrine and apparently they need help with clearing of traps. Nothing too serious I think, you dealt with those before."_

Kim reluctantly agreed. "Well... Well then. When do we take off?"

_"Well, it's just a temple and there is an entire team of archeologists there... I thought Ron could sit this one out. He's been a lot stretched for time recently, missions one after the other plus the patrols."_

"Hmm, good point. Plus, he's still prone to extreme clumsiness and shrine full of fragile artifacts is the last place we want him. So, when's the ride?"

"_You'll have a ride for Greece by Britina. She has a concert there. Middleton Airport, in two hours."_

* * *

Kim entered the extremely dusty undercroft of the ruined shrine with a glow stick in her hand and a bunch of them tied to her belt. The excavation team had uncovered the entrance to the shrine earlier that week, but they had encountered some traps littered around.

Weird part was that the shrine was only partially sunken into the ground before the excavation, and the traps that she had so far avoided looked far newer than they should've been. In fact, she was reasonably sure that one of them had a copper wire for a trigger.

Her sensible side told her to take a step back and have Wade run checks on the site and the crew itself, in-depth as he could.

But that'd mean he'd also send Ron in for backup. And that, Kim simply did not want. Having Ron being sent in mid-mission would effectively mean that she couldn't function properly without his assistance.

And Kim's pride wouldn't begrudge such a fact to suffer her conscience. So she pressed on. As she advanced, she thought she heard whispers in the darkness. When she came to a crossroads in the undercroft, she picked the one hallway that whispers seemed to emanate from.

A classic spike trap activated as she took a light step and heard a clink. As she jumped to a wall nearby, spikes shot up from the other side. She bounced off of the wall and rolled forward.

As she landed, dozens of clicks were heard. On instinct, Kim leaned back and then rolled sideways. Small arrows littered the space her upper body was just in.

She stood up and allowed herself to breathe. So far, the traps had been tame. But this last combo that was sprung as soon as she entered the lowermost hallway was different.

Meaning that something was at the end of this hallway. She looked at the arrows that had shot from the trap. Under the pale light of the glowsticks, she thought these looked properly ancient, not like the earlier traps.

Kim tentatively began to advance. Suddenly, a loud bang was heard. She turned to find a stone block covering the entrance. She heard another grinding sound, and again on instinct, jumped forward. Another stone block snapped down on where she just was.

She ran this time, jumping forward and sideways onto the wall on her left. She took a few steps on the wall then launched herself forwards. As soon as she landed, another spike trap activated, this time from below. Kim pulled the same trick and jumped on the wall to her right, taking a few steps and launching off of it.

She cleared the hallway and landed in a roll. Taking a look around, she saw that she had stumbled onto a reasonably large chamber. Five life-sized statues were standing in the middle of the chamber. Beyond the statues, there was an altar. Kim couldn't get a good look at it.

_**She has arrived. Testing shall begin.**_An emotionless voice resonated through her head. Kim looked around for the source, before realizing, it was in _ only _her head.

A loud cracking noise startled her. The statue in the middle moved. Kim quickly took a defensive position. The statue fully moved this time. It jumped off from the stand it was on and landed with a loud thud.

Kim took a good look at it. It was the life size statue of a six foot woman clad in a breastplate and battle skirt. It also had an old fashioned battle helm, a cloak that was draped around her shoulders and a spear that was as long as its own height. The most striking feature, however, was the owl that was perched on its right shoulder.

Kim was no deep study on ancient mythology, but the owl was a dead giveaway that this statue was somehow a likeness of Athena, the goddess of Wisdom.

And now it was twirling the stone spear that she was holding. While slowly walking towards Kim. She looked around frantically for something she could use against the statue. Aside from her mission supplies, all she could see around was a spear like the one statue was holding.

_Better than nothing. Good thing I studied spear lore in the Choy-Li style._ She ran and grabbed the spear, turning to face the statue while spinning the spear, taking up a stance.

The statue was moving more mechanically than a human, but it suddenly lunged forward with an agility that surprised Kim. She barely avoided the stab and retaliated in kind as she moved sideways. The spear chipped off a tiny sliver of stone from the cheek of the statue.

Kim's face fell. _ What was I expecting, a magic spear that can shatter stone? Dammit._

Statue attacked Kim from various angles, using a very direct and efficient technique. Kim was forced on defensive and kept retreating while blocking the attacks with flourishes and spins. The spear she was using was not exactly balanced for the use of Choy-Li style's moves. It had an ancient Greek design with an iron shaft instead of wooden, which prompted the balance of the spear to be more on the shaft itself than the spear's tip.

Kim tried a few more retaliatory strikes as she slid the spear along the statue's. They did as well as the first one did, with little to no effect. The statue tried to sweep Kim's feet by spinning the stone spear under her. Kim jumped up and landed on the head of the statue, then launched herself even higher and spun in the air. She landed on the other side of the other four statues.

_I am not going to take this... whatever this is with brute force. Need a plan here. _

The statue suddenly crouched and jumped towards Kim. It sailed through the air, clearing fifteen feet in a single leap and brought down the spear on her. Kim barely had the time to twist herself towards the side and avoid the strike. The ground was cracked at the point of impact.

_A __**ferociously **__good plan._

She looked around for anything useful, but couldn't see anything that she could use to her advantage. The chamber was incredibly bland, save for the statues, their stands and...

_That might work. _

Kim rolled and took position near one of the other statues. This one was clearly belonged to Aphrodite, but she had no time to spare more than a glance. She swiveled the backpack and opened it. Grabbing what she needed, she rolled as the moving statue advanced.

The following hit shattered the statue she was hiding behind. Kim kicked one of the falling pieces towards the living one. The statue didn't seem to notice it.

Kim pulled out the trusty dispenser of Wade's constricting elastic compound. She rushed at the statue with the dispenser in her left hand, spear on her right. Just as she reached the statue, she lodged the spear in the ground, used the momentum and the spear as a lever and propelled herself over it.

She aimed the dispenser at the feet of the moving stone warrior. The broken piece of the other statue she had kicked, the spear she lodged on the ground and the feet of the living statue got caught with one blast of the elastic. Unbalanced, the stone warrior fell to ground.

Kim rolled and grabbed its stone spear. It was a lot heavier than a normal spear, but she found the strength to lift it and stab it in the middle of the statue. She sprayed elastic on that part as well.

The statue was effectively pinned on the ground, but it kept thrashing. Kim sighed. "All right, if that's how you want to play it." She pulled out the laser lipstick and pushed on the shoulders of the statue with her knees. Then proceeded to slowly sever the statue's head from the neck with the laser. It was a somewhat slow procedure as the laser was a bit less heavy duty than a stone required.

But Kim managed it. After cutting the head off and kicking it away, the statue finally stopped moving. Kim fell back on her ass and breathed heavily. Not her usual brand of fighting or enemy, but she had pulled through.

It felt good to succeed as a warrior all on her own.

Suddenly, the altar nearby started shining with white light. It was so bright that Kim was forced to cover her eyes. It slowly dimmed, but still very bright.

One hand over her eyes to cover them, Kim slowly advanced on the altar.

_There is something there, lying on the altar... _She thought, and kept getting closer.

Kim's fingers touched it.

Then she knew no more.

* * *

Ron blasted out of his bedroom window. He was not wearing the Flash suit, but rather his usual clothes with only his hoodie as extra. He didn't care if it was cold or not, or he was seen or not.

The hour being three in the morning, it was not likely anyone would see him. Still, he raced through the deserted and frosted streets at a very high speed. He went supersonic in the neighbourhood and kept going until he arrived at his destination.

The hospital.

Wade had just called. In the middle of the night, the call was ominous from the get-go. But what Wade had revealed was so much more.

_Kim...She is just transported to Middleton Memorial...Ron, she...is in a coma._

Wade's words kept circulating in his head like a thunderstorm. He had not listened to the rest. But he had a great deal to speak with him, once he knew how Kim was, and exactly what happened.

He fucking should've known. Kim being absent from school earlier that day and the way that Wade kept avoiding his inquiries, he should've known something was wrong. Still, he had not pushed it and went out on patrol at evening. Instead, he should've been pressing Wade for information.

He arrived at the hospital and toyed around with the idea of blasting inside full speed.

But that would be both stupid and unnecessary. Ron was not stupid. So he slowed down near the parking lot and cleared the rest of the way into the hospital at a non-superspeed run.

The almost-sleeping nurse at the ER was surprised by his very speedy and loud entrance.

"Kim Possible! Her room now!" Ron couldn't keep panic out of his voice.

The nurse grumbled and rose from her seat. "Young man, keep your voice down. There are patients here, sleeping."

Ron mumbled and apology and asked again, far quieter and more politely.

"The patient you are asking is not in the ER. They medevaced her from somewhere in Greece just an hour ago. She's in the ICU, and visits are not until noon tomorrow."

Ron had heard enough. He crossed the ER threshold and jumped over the counter, entering the main hospital building via the nearby door.

The nurse was about to call security, but another nurse, who knew Ron interfered. "The boy is here to see his friend, he's a close friend of the Possibles. Dr. Possible will have your hide if you get him restricted with security."

Ron found a hospital plan, located the ICU and rushed through the stairs, not even bothering with the elevator.

As soon as he entered the ICU, he picked out the haggard face and hunched figure of James Possible, sitting on a bench with his head supported by his hands. He had a forlorn look in his eyes.

He turned to see what was causing the commotion and saw Ron rushing at him.

Ron didn't bother with pleasantries. "Where is she?!" James weakly pointed to the nearby ICU room.

What awaited Ron inside was a sight he couldn't bear. Kim was hooked up to machines, lying completely still, and barely breathing by the looks of it. From behind the glass overlooking the room, he could see that she looked uninjured.

Anne Possible was also inside, going over Kim's charts and her rushed MR images. The on-call radiologist looked sleepy as he went over the details for her. She heard the door open and Ron move inside.

She thanked the radiologist and took Ron's arm. Ron contested weakly, but complied as she dragged him outside. James also rose when he saw his wife step out.

Ron found his voice back. "What happened?"

Anne shook her head. "We... don't know. After she got transported over, we ran our own tests immediately. I just went over the MRI. It's..." She glanced at the room behind her. Her voice had faltered a little. No matter how professional a doctor she was, that was her daughter in there.

James took her hand and squeezed it. She took a deep breath and explained as well as she could. "No injuries, no internal bleeding, no trauma on brain. A few scrapes that probably is the result of rolling on the ground. MRI showed nothing. She should be up and about."

She weakly sat on a nearby chair. "There is nothing wrong with her... Save for the fact that her brain simply doesn't activate in cognitive or motor areas. My own scan showed that she only registers a weak activity in her brain stem. She is in a deeper sleep state than a Stage four NREM cycle." She looked worn out. "We don't know what to do."

Ron peered inside the room from the door. "What caused this? How did this even happen?"

James supplied the information. "Apparently, Kimmie was doing a favor for some archeologists...Clearing out traps from some old shrine... After she went inside, she didn't come back out... I'm told they found her lying on the ground..."

Ron made his mind and moved to activate his watch, intent on getting answers from Wade. A slender but firm hand grabbed onto his arm. Anne was holding him back. She shook her head.

"Let Wade sleep as well. He organized the transportation and oversaw it. He must be exhausted. You two can go at it tomorrow."

Ron looked ready to rebel for a moment, but then complied. He decided he could help while he was here. "Can I do anything for you, Doctors P.? Coffee, blankets, food?"

James grabbed his shoulder and gave him a half hug. "It's the thought that counts... Thank you Ronald."

Ron moved towards a nearby chair to sit and catch some sleep, but Anne stopped him. "There is no sense for you to stay here. There's nothing you can do... But..." She handed him some keys. "If you could get to our place and look after the twins in the morning... We didn't tell them."

Ron nodded wordlessly and left. After he cleared the hospital, he made a beeline for Possible residence.

* * *

Ron absent mindedly chewed on an energy bar. He was holding the Kimmunicator in his other hand, letting it scan the sealed hallway Kim was found in. Wade had an active line on his watch.

After running across an ocean and half a continent, Ron was tired, but not about to give up. His backpack was filled with the bars aside from the usual mission gear. His suit was with Wade anyway.

Wade's voice broke through his thoughts. _"I don't understand any of this."_

Ron was still a bit angry at him, so he sounded bitter as he answered. "We would certainly not be in this situation if you did."

Wade held his tongue. He knew Ron was not thinking straight after seeing Kim comatose. Still, they had a huge fight when Ron was at school. It was only Monique's intervention that had calmed them down.

_"This hallway is sealed. It looks like it could be a crossroad with three exits, but all three directions are walled off. I ran a sonar analysis from Kimmunicator as well, there is nothing but solid rock behind those walls."_

"They found Kim here in this spot Wade."

_"And there is __**nothing **__indicating any danger. Nothing dangerous, no traps, nothing. The earlier traps which Kim dealt with, they stopped around some twenty meters back. By all means, this is the end of the line."_

"So we have nothing? Wade, there has to be something! Mrs. Dr. P. is stumped and can't find anything to bring her out of the coma, so it has to be something to do with here!"

_"Don't you think I know that?! I just can't find anything, nothing!"_

Ron shook another glowstick and made it glow. He looked at the ground. The dust was heavily disturbed by all the people that had been since Kim was found here, but he hoped for a sign, or a clue.

It was all for naught. He had already spoken with the excavation team. Wade ran background checks. They scanned the entire shrine for inconsistencies.

Nothing had paid off. They had no idea what had happened.

_"Ron... Just return to Middleton. Nothing left to do there."_

Ron didn't answer. Up until now, he was so sure, so certain that they'd find whatever had put Kim in this state, and undo it. Yet after all the effort, they had nothing. Ron crumpled near the wall, sliding on his back and finally sitting on the ground.

_"Ron?"_

"I will... I will be back in a few hours..." Before Wade could answer, he closed the connection.

He watched the glowstick slowly die out and leave him in total darkness. Normally, he'd be nervous in such a lightless environment. But now, he felt nothing.

He was alone in the dark, and it was not the dark that scared him. It was being alone, without Kim.

_How did it come to this? Kim is comatose, and I'm just a useless idiot, unable to do anything..._

The very thought of Kim not waking up, maybe never, made his heart ache almost as if he was having a heart attack. A life without Kim... He wouldn't make it...

No, he would bring Kim back, one way or the other.

He stood up and left the undercroft, with his resolve hardened.

* * *

Ron closed his locker and rushed outside the school. He was just about to exit the school when one of his friends caught his arm and pulled him back in.

Monique had grabbed him and was holding his arm with a rather tight grip. Tara was standing next to her, with visible worry on her face.

"Nuh-uh, absent boy. You are not speeding out the door as soon as the bell toils. We have been trying to catch you for the last three days and you are starting to get on my nerves." Monique looked real pissed this time.

Tara, on the other hand, simply grabbed his hand and wormed herself into Ron's comfort zone. "Ron, we know how...hard it must be for you, but you can't just keep doing this to yourself."

Ron didn't know what they meant. "I'm perfectly fine. I don't know what you are talking about."

Monique glared at him and pulled a compact mirror. "Look at that and tell me that you look fine. And be serious about it."

Ron complied, and prepared comebacks for after he looked at himself. Then he did take a look at himself.

For one thing, he had neglected to look at any mirror for the last two weeks. He ran out of the house first thing in the morning, kept going over any possibilities of Kim's condition with Wade after school and did patrolling until midnight every day.

His hair was a complete mess. It had gotten longer and shaggier. There were slight discoloration under his eyes. He had been getting less and less sleep. On top of that, there were the indications of a three o'clock shadow on his face. He was far from forming a real beard or anything, but even the beginnings of his facial hair was showing since he was ignoring his personal grooming.

"What do you want me to say?" He sat on some stairs as students kept filing out of the school. "I've no time to take care of little things. I must find a solution to Kim's situation."

Monique stood in front of him and started berating. "What solution?! Boy, are you stupid! Her mother, the neurosurgeon is looking for ways to fix it, there is no need for you!"

"Kim is physically fine. Something happened to her in that shrine in Greece, and I must find answers. While I still can. Nothing else matters for now. I must do all I can while our villains are staying put and on the down low."

Monique's last shred of tolerance went up in flames. Her body turned and Ron went into superspeed mode without even thinking about it. He saw her open palm moving towards his face.

Why did people try to derail his efforts, he didn't know. Wade had asked him to slow down. Monique had asked him to slow down and get himself together, exactly four times before this happened. His mother and father, guys from the football team, Josh Mankey himself... Hell, even Mrs. Dr. P. had asked him to take an early night yesterday, while Ron was doing his daily visit to Kim.

So far, the only person not to say anything or ask him to stop was, much to his surprise, Tara. After the kiss under the falling snow, Ron had felt that a threshold was passed, and they had spoken and spent more time together. Up until Kim's situation, everything was going great on that front.

Now, after almost three weeks of Ron running himself to the ground, he realized that Tara had not said anything negative the whole time. She had just held his hand when it looked like he needed it. She was just, there for him, if he needed.

He kept watching Monique's palm getting closer as thoughts raced in his mind. If Tara was finally trying to talk to him, he owed it to her. She was wonderful through this whole fucked up sitch.

He let himself finally go out of superspeed and Monique's palm met his face almost immediately. He realized it was not very strong, as his head only moved to the side a bit.

A few students late to exit the school and some others staying for extra curriculars watched the scene, albeit discreetly.

Monique wasn't shouting, but the low and quivering voice was hell of a lot worse on Ron's conscience.

"There people around you, good people, who care about you. And no one is happy about you trying to kill yourself by tiring yourself out. Ron, we didn't forget Kim. Hell, there is almost no moment when I'm in school and not missing her. Look at your girlfriend and ask how the cheer leading squad is doing. Coz they ain't cheering these days brother. It's time to wake the hell up."

Tara squeezed his hand and talked in a fragile, very low voice. "I know how important this is for you... Ron, I understand... But you just can't keep this up. You are already fraying at the edges. And I can't just watch you go down like this."

Monique sighed audibly and turned to leave. "I've said all I can as your friend. Oh, before I forget." She turned her head and looked dead straight in Ron's eyes. "Ask yourself what Kim would've said." She left with haste after that.

Tara and Ron sat on the stairs for a while. Finally, Ron felt his hand being pulled and watched along as Tara dragged him outside. They started to walk in the direction of Tara's house.

Tara decided to say another thing that was bothering him. "I couldn't speak about this with Monique around but... Ron, I'm worried something is gonna happen to you... While you are... You know.."

"No ordinary criminal in this town can catch me. I can deal with them even if I'm not a hundred percent."

Tara stopped him and held his hands with her own. "And what if something like that gorilla comes around again? Maybe Kim's usual villains are staying down like you said. But what if something of that class hits you?" She slightly hugged him.

"I'm not Kim. No one else but herself is Kim. None of us can watch your back. Ron, if you don't take care of yourself, without Kim, you might..." Tara couldn't finish.

Ron understood this time. Other people didn't know about his other life and only cared about Ron Stoppable's well-being as a health issue. But Tara knew, just like Wade, that Ron needed to be on top of his game, for the game he played was one where you cashed in your own life in exchange for the chips you lay down on the board.

Ron returned the hug. "I...I will try to rest... Be more clever about this... But Tara, I hope you know..."

"That you won't stop until she is back on her feet? I'd expect no less."

"I'm sorry that I'm such a useless boyfriend..." His hands shook a little in her smaller ones. "Tara, someone like you deserves better... Someone normal."

"Never be Normal." She raised herself and captured his lips.

* * *

**Undisclosed Location**

**February 7th, 18:32 PM**

Drakken was unsure about this whole thing.

After their failure to capture and / or utilize the Phoebus device, it was destroyed as a measure against further attempts on it. Without any avenues of quick inspiration, Drakken was left to his own devices in figuring out a new plan in his mad dash for world domination.

So he had hit a rut. Writers could have blocks, so he thought he was entitled to a little mad scientist's block himself. Oh, he had come up with ideas for silly devices like an overcharged air purifier or an improved trash disposal device, but such things didn't help in world domination.

Furthermore, he was dealing with weird urges and reflexes from his own body recently. Why, just yesterday he had somehow woke up to a drafty room, only to find his windows closed. So he thought he just felt cold, but the draft was still a little bit there when he woke up. He needed to focus on that situation...

Instead of answering a very secretive, very ominous call with Shego.

Three days ago, an electronic message had broken through all his cyber defences and activated on his screen.

_"If you want to finally remove obstacles from your path, you will want to join this meeting."_ Accompanied was a time and a place.

So there they were. He and Shego had walked tentatively inside the bunker that they had arrived at. Only red warning lights were illuminating their way. It seemed as if the warning lights led them somewhere.

The hallways finally gave way to a big chamber. There was a round table in the middle, and people were already seated. The biggest seat was empty, apparently reserved for whoever held this meeting. He saw his name on a card, and took the seat that was marked with it.

He took a look around, and saw familiar faces. There were a few he didn't know as well.

But the faces of Professor Dementor, Amy Hall and Monty Fiske was easy to spot. Fiske was wearing some sort of torso brace around his chest and neck.

"I had heard you were injured Fiske. I didn't think it would be this bad."

Monty Fiske grunted across the table. "My enemy was relentless. He will get his due."

"He? What do you mean he? Didn't Kim Possible thrash you around at that debacle at Space Center?"

Fiske didn't reply.

A girl with short blonde hair was apparently nervous and impatient. "Okay, which one of you creeps lured me here and now making me wait? I can get really FREAKY if someone doesn't speak soon."

A smooth baritone answered from the dark side of the room. "Dear Miss Lynn, now that our final attendants are here, we can start."

A rather well-built man with brown hair, well-trimmed beard and an eyepatch walked to the light and took the big seat. He was wearing some sort of uniform, purple with white stripes. They all realized his right hand was entirely metallic and it was holding a very tiny canine with no hair. No one was sure exactly what kind of a dog it was. So no one commented.

"I called all of you here for an express purpose. A cleansing, if you will."

"You look like a big meanie, but I will listen to you regardless. My cuties tell me so." Amy Hall and her unique brand of crazy made Drakken and Monty Fiske cringe in their seats. "Also, my sweetums is here, so I'll stay for his sake."

Fiske cringed again and shivered. He hated the fact that he had to work with her to get his genetic augmentations. But he had bigger fish to fry. "Instead of talking in riddles, maybe you should explain yourself. And give us your name."

The man bestowed them a cold smile as he petted his dog. "My name is Gemini. And what I offer to you is vengeance. Not just any vengeance, mind you. Against the very Kim Possible herself."

A collective gasp sounded out from the table, save for two people. Shego, from her position at Drakken's back, demanded explanation.

"You'd better make this one good Cyclops. I have a short fuse when it comes to the Princess."

In the middle of the table, a hologram activated. It was the image of Kim Possible lying on a hospital bed, hooked to a few machines.

"Twenty-three days ago, an emergency medevac was conducted from Greece to Middleton, Colorado. A day before that, Kim Possible was photographed in an airport in Greece along with the pop-star Britina. In all likelihood, she had a mission."

The hologram switched to show the timeline. "There has been no record of Kim Possible ever leaving Greece. Theoretically, she is off the grid. Effectively, however..." The hologram switched again to show a lone Ron Stoppable conducting a wildlife rescue mission by himself.

"This has been the third recorded instance where her sidekick was spotted without her. All in the last twenty days. Global Justice did its best to hide this from everyone else."

He leaned in towards the table and smiled. "But I have my resources. Ladies and gentlemen, Kim Possible has been in a deep coma for the last three weeks. Her sidekick is stretched thin and inept. She is defenseless."

Dementor's laughter rang through the chamber. "You fool. Do you really think 'zat she is defenseless, with zat Flash watching over ze' city?"

Gemini didn't seem concerned. In fact, he looked pleased at the question. "I've an excellent solution for that particular problem. Please meet with Mister Leonard Snart. He... is a recent acquaitance with just the perfect power set to stall and even deal with the Flash, permanently."

"And what exactly does he-" Amy Hall's words were stuck in her mouth as a white beam shot from Snart's hand and hit her glasses. A second later, her glasses were frozen and she was forced to take it off.

"Something dangerous Miss. Something very dangerous." Snart didn't say more.

However, Monty Fiske had other concerns. "All of you are missing or purposefully ignoring one key factor. Ron Stoppable."

Adrena Lynn scoffed. "While I have nothing in common with you freaks, I'll have to agree with the other freaks here, Mr. Monkey hands. That loser is nothing but a fool who just happened to catch me on camera."

Fiske leaned back in his chair. "Whatever anyone else might think, I have seen his capacity. He is more dangerous than Possible herself, if given time. If you make the mistake of underestimating him..." His eyes fell on his back and torso brace.

Drakken's eyes grew. "Wait a minute. Are you telling me, that the buffoon was the one who _ broke _ you?"

Fiske's eyes glowed with hatred. "And he will pay dearly for it. But if you go in there, discounting him, he might even kill his opposition. He reacts monumentally malevolent when Kim Possible is threatened."

Dementor scoffed. " 'Zat happy go lucky idiot can't kill anyone! He is just zomeone with fast legs and an inflated sense of ego."

The person who had been silent all along finally spoke. "You won't have to worry about Stoppable. He will be too busy dealing with some... issues." He was standing some ways back from the table, obscuring his form in the darkness.

Before anyone else could say anything, Drakken interjected.

"What exactly is your plan for Kim Possible?"

Gemini peered at him with obvious questions in his face. "Why, kill her of course. Isn't that what you all want?"

Fiske growled. "As long as it hurts Stoppable."

Amy Hall, a.k.a. DNAmy squealed. "Once that traitor of CuddleBuddies everywhere dies, I'll spread cuteness across the world."

Adrena Lynn simply grinned. "It will be my most daring act yet. The murder of great Kim Possible. They stole everything from me, and I will make them pay in the most FREAKY way possible."

Dementor simply nodded. "I simply want her out of 'ze way. Murder is 'ze logical choice."

Drakken couldn't process this. These people were...

Low. Had no sense of class whatsoever.

But before he could say anything, green plasma struck the middle of the table and ruined the hologram projector.

"Are you all kidding me?! Simply murdering her while she is in a coma?!"

"Isn't that what you want, dear Miss Go?" Gemini smiled at her.

"Do . Not . Call . Me. That. **Ever**." Shego tried to control her anger. "What I want is to see Kim Possible defeated. Broken in spirit. By me. While she is AWAKE. I'll not be party to your madness."

Shego turned to leave. "Coming Dr. D.?"

Drakken rose from his seat. "I have done lots of things since I fell from the grace of scientific community. Things I thought I'd never do in my life before that. I'm not regretting any of it."

"But it'll be a cold day in hell before I murder someone while they are in a coma, while they can't retaliate or defend themselves. I became what I am to earn the respect of people, through fear if necessary. Not for senseless murder."

He turned and walked outside. Shego was staring at him, then grinned and followed suit.

Gemini looked after them with disdain. Then turned to all the rest. "I bid everyone here a warm welcome, to Worldwide Evil Empire."

* * *

Valentine's Day.

It was also the mark of one month of Kim's coma. They had kept it from the press and to those who already didn't know, but it was finally surfacing in the news channels. Ron could fend them off for only so long, sooner or later, he was going to have to deal with them.

Earlier that day, he also had to suffer through an abrupt meeting with Dr. Director of Global Justice. Since he himself was in a coma when Kim had met her and the UN-sanctioned organization, Ron was admittedly shocked when he was pulled off the street for a meet.

Dr. Director had also warned him against the dangers of stretching himself thin. What she additionally offered was substantial backup, in case he needed it.

_"You have a good head on your shoulder when you apply yourself, and have quite a bit of potential. I'd very much like to sign you in, but I think you'll want to remain a freelancer like Kim. So, I want you to have all the backup you need, at least until Kim gets better."_

He appreciated it... But at the end of the day, his solo actions were mostly covert usages of his power and tactful remote assistance by Wade. Having anyone else but Kim along would lower their effectivity.

Which brought his thoughts back to Kim. He was beginning to lose hope. And it scared him.

It scared Ron in the sense of how much it hurt. Every day that he didn't hear Kim's voice, his heart was getting colder.

And it was beginning to show. He couldn't crack any more jokes. He couldn't tolerate little things like Bonnie harping on various people lower on the food chain. He couldn't find the strength to even sit at cafetaria during lunches anymore.

Worse part was that even Flash's work had been changing. No more warm greetings to the officers, or waves to journalists or people's cellphones, no more asking about the welfare of the people he was saving. Flash was reduced to a non-stopping streak who kept doing whatever he could do to help people.

So far, he could only partially revert when he was with Tara. The blonde girl was probably an angel with all her patience and understanding. He was able to only take her out once during the month, and that was a simple date where they just drank cocoa she had prepared into a thermos flask and went out to the woods for some peace.

Ron had forgotten his troubles, for maybe just an hour. He was fairly sure that he was falling for Tara. His heart was getting lighter whenever he was with her. He liked the feel of her hair on his face, her soothing voice speaking to him, or her soft hands on his. He loved it when she hugged him, for that was maybe the only thing that was keeping him going on.

Then why did he crave to hear Kim's voice, even if she was angry or sarcastic? He didn't know.

And frankly, he did not care.

All he wanted was his best friend back.

Tears dropped onto his lap one by one. He couldn't hold them back any longer. After a month of tumultuous feelings, dashed hopes and falling spirits, Ron finally had had enough.

He slowly dropped from the edge of his bed and onto the floor.

_I can't take this anymore... I just can't..._

His door to his room closed and startled him. His mother stood there, with equal measure of pride and pity in her eyes. She closed the distance between them and hugged her son.

"Oh Ronnie... I know... I know how it hurts honey. Just let it go."

"I tried everything Mom. Me and Wade, we checked anything we could think of. We researched anything related to it. But there is nothing! Mom..."

Ron pulled himself back and looked at his mom's face. "I miss her so much. She'd know what to do... She'd save me... And I'm just a useless piece of trash, even with..." He was just about to announce his alter ego.

Apparently, it was not needed. "Not even you can save everyone. Not even with all the speed in the world."

Ron looked at her face with shock. Andrea just smiled warmly. "I'm your mother Ronald. Did you really think you could hide this from me? You kept your suit in your backpack, honey. And slept with it still on a few times."

"I'm sorry Mom... Not just for not telling but... I am still a loser, despite what I can do, what I try to do. I'm the worst kind of son..."

He got slapped. Rather violently. "Stop that Ronald! Stop putting yourself down. Look at me." She forced his lowered head to raise. "Look at my eyes."

Her mother's eyes looked directly into his. They were glowing with some feeling he couldn't quite place. When she spoke, her voice almost broke.

"Honey... I might have been strict with you, might have seemed cold... But I always knew you could be so much more than you were. So believe me when I say this."

"I am so proud of you. So immensely proud. My little boy, a superhero!" She held his shoulders and pulled him up with herself.

"During that horrible week after the lightning strike, when we thought you were dying... Kim cried her eyes out. A few times, we had to pry her off of you. So I told her. Some prayer my own mother taught me when I was little. Now I will teach you."

"Accept the things you cannot change, have the courage to change the things you can and have the wisdom to know the difference."

"I...I... don't totally get it."

Andrea grinned. "Don't worry, Kim didn't get it entirely either. But one day, you will. And you will be even a greater hero than you already are."

She leaned in and kissed his forehead. Then she stood fully and scanned his room. "Now, there is a lovely girl out there, waiting for a call from her boyfriend and hoping for a date, even if a little one. She must not be disappointed." She pointed at the phone. "Call her Ronnie. Take this one night to forget all the troubles. I'll overlook the curfew."

"Thought you and Dad were gonna go out for a dinner?"

"Oh we will. Just make sure we don't meet by accident. It'd be embarrassing to meet your parents on a Valentine's date." She smiled and moved to exit the room.

"Mom?"

"Yes dear?"

Ron finally cracked a little smile. "Thank you."

* * *

Ron and Tara walked together, hand in hand. Couples, young and old all around them were doing mostly the same. Rufus was perched on Ron's shoulder, but between Tara and Ron instead of away from her as before. It was nice enough to just walk, as silent as they were, content in each other's company.

But Ron knew he had to come up with something date-like. Remotely romantic if he could. Problem was, that it was Valentine's Day, and even the places within his budget were packed full.

He tried to come up with a good idea, but he was literally coming up blank. He finally gave in and turned to Tara. "Uh... Sorry about this... I didn't realize Valentine's was coming up and... Well, I screwed up."

Tara giggled a little. "It's a good thing that I thought ahead then. Come on." She carried him along in downtown Middleton. They finally stopped at a little, cozy café. There were some couples seated outside and many more in the inside.

The blonde cheerleader just dragged her boyfriend inside and casually strolled to one of the waitresses who was behind the register going over the numbers on a notebook.

"Hello Skye! You have my table ready?"

The waitress answered without looking. "Tara, yes, I've it reserved, but you didn't need to ask for a couple's table if you were going to show up with that bitchy friend of yours."

"Uh...Skye?"

The woman named Skye finally looked up from the notebook and took a look. Her face immediately lightened.

"Oh my! You must be that mysterious boyfriend!" She moved from behind the register and extended her hand.

Ron took it lightly. "Uh... Yes? Well, I'm Ron-"

"Stoppable, yes. I've heard. We've all heard honey. Tara can't shut up about her football-star slash teen hero boyfriend. I was beginning to think she was hallucinating."

Ron scratched his neck in embarrassment. "Yea...She exaggerated a lot, I think."

Skye showed them to their table. "Hmmm...I think not." She winked at Tara and then noticed Rufus. "That must be your famous pet. I'll get the cheese ready." She petted Rufus and left them alone.

Ron looked around and watched Tara exchange waves with two other waitresses. "So you come here a lot?"

Tara looked pensive and threw a coy smile. "Well... Yes, and no, I suppose." She giggled at Ron's blank look. "I work here three times a week."

"Oh... Oh! So that's why you are so chummy with the staff." Ron took a good look at the staff. "Nice place. You should've told me earlier, I could've dropped by."

Tara shook her head slowly. "I wanted it to be a surprise for today. Besides, you are busy enough with the... you know."

The owner, a middle-aged lady with a kind smile, greeted them as their coffee was brought. Apparently, Tara was a very well-liked and also the youngest of her part timers. After narrowing her eyes at Ron and giving him a good once-over, she had turned to Tara and commented her taste of men. Both blondes sat there quietly, with heavy blushes apparent.

Then Tara pulled out a small package from her coat. "Ah, I know it hasn't been long but... I wanted to get you a present."

Ron took the package. "I...You didn't have to..."

"I wanted to. Open it."

Ron slowly unwrapped the package and found a silver six-pointed star on a chain, apparently designed to be used as a necklace. Of course, this particular symbol was very well known by Ron, who was a Reform Jew. He held it out and looked at it.

"Uh, thanks, but... Aren't you, like, uh...What was it called, episco-something?"

"Yes, I am an Episcopalian Christian, but that has nothing to do with it."

"I'm not terribly religious, unfortunately. Or at all..." Ron looked away with no small amount of mirth.

"Well, it's actually a protective symbol." Tara pointed to the edges of the star. There were small inscriptions on it. "Before it became the symbol of Jewish faith, the Star of David was a Kabbalistic protection charm. If you keep it on you, bad luck won't visit you."

Ron smiled and put it on around his neck. As he said, he was not religious at all, but it felt good to carry something of significance, especially gifted from someone like Tara.

"Thanks. Really... This means a lot, knowing that someone cares." Ron put the Star inside his shirt. Tara held his hand across the table.

"Lots of people care for you Ron. Not just me or..." She fell silent, as the unsaid name crashed on the mood like a ten ton hammer. Rufus' head dropped lower as he sulked.

Ron's face fell, instinctively, but he tried to recover. "It's... It's okay. I'll get her back. And we will all laugh at this sometime later." Then he smiled weakly. "Do you think I could get Mankey to agree on a double date? Kim was a bit let down after the Formal, so I think that'd lift her spirits."

Tara smiled and nodded. "That's a wonderful idea! It'd definitely help Kim's mood."

Ron absently touched his new necklace. Presents. He had completely forgotten Valentine's with all the stuff going on. There was, however, one thing he had prepared about a week ago, not as a present but as a safety measure. He patted his coat to see if it was still there. Luckily, it was.

He pulled out a simple, little box and held it out. Tara's eyes grew to impossible levels. Then Ron heard more than a few gasps and 'aww's around him. He looked around himself and saw five nearby tables and the entire staff watching them with starry eyes. Then he looked at the box, and finally at Tara.

He finally understood what this looked like. He panicked, understandbly. "I-I-I'm NOT proposing!" The couples on the other tables, all of them older than Ron and Tara, grinned and turned back. The staff of the café just sighed and turned back to their work. The guy sitting at a nearby table nudged Ron and whispered 'You just dodged a bullet my friend.'

Ron shivered and turned to Tara, who were relaxing after the momentary shock. "God, did it really look like it? I wasn't even kneeling or anything."

Tara grinned sheepishly. "Female instincts, sorry. As soon as we see a little box in a man's hands, only one thought comes to mind."

Ron mumbled something. Tara didn't hear it as she took the box. "Did you say something Ron?"

He mumbled a bit louder so Tara could hear. Not that she needed to as she opened the box. "There _ is _ a ring inside though."

Indeed, as a silvery-looking metallic ring was inside the box. It had a very tiny insignia on the top.

"Sorry, that's uh... Not silver or gold... It's a titanium alloy that Wade came up with. Ten times more resilient than steel, or something like that."

Tara looked closely at the insignia and realized that it was a lightning bolt, the same as the one on Flash's chest. She smiled and held it out on the table. Ron reached and touched the shape.

"It's... Not actually a present... It was something I came up with when I was...Uh, you know, super genius. Wade helped me make it after... Well... Kim's... accident." He pushed on the insignia and then turned it.

A faint beep from Ron's watch followed. He shook it out of his sleeve and showed it to Tara. The screen had a map open, and a little red dot was blinking. "The shape is a GPS tracker directly sending signals to a network of satellites. It then directly links to my watch, with a secondary signal responding on Wade's system."

"So... I turn it on and you'll be there?"

"Well, I have, you know..." He whispered the next part. "Superspeed and could reach you in a timely fashion if you need help so..." He didn't continue.

Tara put on the small ring on her left hand ring finger. She admired the polish, but loved what it represented. "This... This is beyond a gift that I could give you... Thanks Ron.."

Ron looked down. "I just thought that... If I was there... I could help her and..." He raised his head and looked straight at her eyes. "Not anymore, not if I can help it."

"So did you make one of these for Kim?"

Ron smiled. "Yes, but hers is not a ring. It's an earpiece."

"Does Kim wear earrings often? I didn't see her with one, like, ever."

Ron snickered. "Not an earring, Tara, an ear-piece. You know, a device you use to talk and listen with your partners in a mission. A little bit more high tech than this ring."

"Oh... Yes, that'd make more sense for her to use. Imagining her fighting villains with a diamond earring there for a second, it was funny."

Ron thought of said image and found himself grinning. "Knowing her, she'd use the diamond to cut something in a fight."

They both laughed and Ron felt better as they spent more time. The silence descended as they sipped coffee. Ron took a good look at Tara over his coffee mug.

"Tara, I-" He was stopped cold in the middle of his sentence by a familiar, double beep from his watch.

They looked at each other upon hearing it. Tara smiled and stood up as Ron did the same. He checked the screen on his watch.

_Silent and loud alarms triggered at Middleton Science Center, R&D department. Expect dangerous conditions. Watch your back._

Tara read it as well. She just half hugged him at his side. "Be careful."

"When have I not-Okay, I'll be careful." He took Rufus and placed him in Tara's hands. "I'll get the little guy tomorrow. You remember the song to put him in sleep, yes?"

Tara nodded and then pulled him in for a kiss. It was not one of those chaste kisses either, it was rather passionate than what Ron was getting used to. Almost half a minute later, they seperated, breathing hard. The cheerleader whispered, almost as if afraid to speak. "Go get 'em."

Ron just grinned, and exited the small café running.

* * *

Ron blasted through the doors of the Science Center and headed straight for the big atrium. He stopped at the walkways and looked above. The glass ceiling had been repaired.

This was where he was shot by Floyd Lawton and met Arrow. Kim had went against an international assassin by herself. And they had failed to stop the robbery, resulting in the loss of the phenomenal Centurion Project to be stolen.

Not a pleasant night to remember. Ron shook his head as he scanned the atrium for the signs of the break in.

_Head in the game._ Kim's voice rose from his memories, making him smile a bit. He ran around and looked in various units in atrium, and even checked the Centurion lab. So far, everything checked out. He had to go back to the beginning and look again.

Ron returned to main hall, kept scrutinizing the atrium and noticed something weird. One of the hallway access roads leading to another part of the Center had icing on the floor and on the rails of the walkway.

He went closer to take a look, and noticed that the icing continued further, and it seemingly was more intense as he progressed. Ron advanced with caution as this was beginning to feel funky. It took him the better part of ten minutes to get through the walkway and into the next complex. The ice trail felt almost placed. Ron finally reached the end of the trail and saw the double doors leading inside a big lab complex were broken, taken off the hinges by what looked like an ice blast.

He went inside and looked around. This was a different setup than the other lab he had seen a few months ago. It was a big oval space with various doors leading to presumably smaller offices. The lighting was dim, however, and he couldn't catch many details. It was clear though, that this was the source of the alarms. Ice was covering some doors and lab equipment.

Just as he was about to call Wade and ask for assistance in figuring out what happened, he heard some sort of blasting noise behind himself. Turning around, he saw the doorway he had walked in was now sealed with a thick wall of ice. A white misty trail of crystallized water from the air stretched from the door towards a corner office.

Three more blasts of white mist tore through the air and sealed off the major exits from the main lab. Ron began to move towards the same corner office those blasts came from, but a final one hit the ground in front of him and he slipped on the newly formed ice. He slid all the way towards a wall and crashed.

Suddenly, the lab's main overhead lighting activated and he heard a disparate, slightly off putting laugh. Ron realized that he somewhat recognized this voice. Suddenly, all the overhead lab monitors switched on started showing a live stream.

* * *

Tara bid her friends at the café farewell and started to take a nice and easy, clean route to her house. The incident with the mugger had taught her not to take the shortcuts. Rufus hid himself in one of the pockets of her coat.

She quite liked the naked mole rat. Sure, like every normal human on the planet, she had found him repulsive when she first saw the rodent, but the likeable and ingenius pet had a knack of getting into people's good graces. The cheer squad itself, whom were quite used to Ron hanging around Kim, had accepted him around.

Furthermore, from what Ron told her, the mole rat was very picky when it came to whom he liked and allowed to be handled with. Only Ron and Kim could carry him for example, or he could only be comfortable enough to sleep in their pockets. Apparently, that trust now extended to her as well.

She felt a really mixed bag of emotions churning. Like every girl on the cheer squad, or really, like almost any person in Middleton High, she was devastated that the redhead epitome of female superiority was not around. Kim was a natural leader and charismatic individual, her, hopefully temporary, loss was a great blow to morale all over.

And even bigger hit on the morale was the school's unofficially coolest guy moping around. Ron tried to do his best to keep his spirit up, help people and handle his own schoolwork. He had even filled in to replace some of Kim's other responsibilities on other clubs. Tara suspected that he used his power to cope with them.

That didn't stop people from noticing that the fire in the blonde runningback's eyes slowly turning into a cold desperation. Tara did her best to help him, in any way she could, but Ron was eventually all alone on any matters pertaining his hero work. It had become apparent that even the lighter job of handling requests from Kim's website was something normal humans just couldn't do.

She couldn't help feel but relieved that Kim was in a coma. It made her feel disgusted and hate herself, but truth was that she and Ron had just got closer during this period. She wondered what he was about to say when he was interrupted by the watch's beeps. She felt disgusted by herself again, because that last kiss she had pulled Ron in for was...

Wrong. She meant to give him a normal kiss, for good luck and affection. Instead, somewhat jealous that a comatose Kim held more sway on his mood, she had gone for an over the top French kiss. This was so against her ideals, her beliefs of being decent and good would eventually get her the good things in life.

As she walked absent mindedly, Rufus peeked out her coat and chittered. Tara rose her head and looked around, to see that they were passing by the hospital. Rufus seemed to be lively being here, so she assumed it had something to do with Kim. Now that she thought about it, visiting Kim would put her mind at some ease. Besides, she had not visited her yet, as Kim was kept in ICU and only got moved to a normal care unit earlier this week.

She walked inside and approached the help desk. An elderly nurse manning the desk and organizing files saw her.

"How can I help you dear? Do you have a problem?"

Tara shook her head. "No...I was here to...visit a friend." Rufus ran upto her shoulder and nodded fervently.

"I'm afraid visiting hours are over for people who are not family, dear. You might want to come back tomorrow."

Tara's head dropped slightly, but Rufus collapsed on her shoulder with even more dejected feelings.

"Is that Rufus?" A firm and kind voice called out. Tara turned behind to see someone who just made her jump slightly in surprise. There stood an almost older version of Kim in a lab coat. Then she realized this was her mother, Dr. Possible.

_For a moment there, I thought Kim was awake and well._

After taking a quick look, differences were visible. A shoulder length hair of one shade lighter red color than Kim's, slightly taller frame and blue sparkling eyes, instead of green. Tara had seen Dr. Possible before in a ski trip, but never had looked closer.

_Well, that's just creepy. She doesn't look a day over thirty. So Kim holds the advantage in genetics as well._

Rufus waved happily at Anne. The neurosurgeon patted him in the head warmly. "Good to see you to Rufus." She turned to the blonde who was carrying him. "Ah, you are one of Kim's team mates, no?"

Tara fidgeted as she tried not to shrink under the gaze of the older woman. Much like Kim, her mother possessed an intense and almost otherworldly gaze. It was hard not to be a little taken aback by it.

"Uh, yes, Ma'am. He kind of wanted to visit Kim, I think, so..." She trailed away the end of the sentence into silence.

"Hmm, where is Ron? It's very rare to see Rufus without him, after all."

Tara blushed and fidgeted more. "Uh... Ron had to go take care of... something."

Anne smiled, figuring out who this young lady was. After all, Kim had rambled slightly as a few 'Ron Night's were cancelled and her daughter felt disappointed. She had to admit though, Anne did not expect the 'nicest, sweetest girlfriend ever' (Kim's words, through gritting teeth) to be also this beautiful.

She also looked a bit troubled and downcast.

Anne turned to the senior nurse. "It's okay Janice. She can visit with me, I was about to drop by Kim's room anyway."

While they walked, Tara felt uncomfortable. The elder redhead seemed tired and spent, yet she was being nicer to Tara then she deserved.

"I'm... sorry about Kim Mrs. Possible... We all miss her..."

Anne smiled weakly. "This is Kimmie we are talking about. She'll be back on her feet, that I'm sure of."

Tara tried to correct herself. "Oh! I mean, I... didn't mean that she wouldn't. We all know she will be back and be awesome again."

"It's just that you don't know how Ron will react and that uncertainty is making you sad."

Tara didn't even realize what she said until she uttered the words. "Yes, exactly. I just-Wait!"

"I didn't mean that I don't want Kim to, I mean...I just-" Anne's hand on her shoulder stopped her babbling.

"I know honey. I've been a teenager once. Don't feel bad about what you feel. Just trust in your friends."

_Trusting my friends..._

_"No matter what happens Tara. No matter what. I'll always have your back in this. You'll never have to worry about me."_ Kim's own words. And anyone who knew the teen hero also knew that Kim never went back on her word.

_I'm being a selfish bitch. She will wake up, we will all go back to normal and happy. Hell, we have a planned double date now!_

They walked the rest of the way in silence. Kim had been moved to a regular care unit in third floor. A few night nurses were around.

The room was a small, double bed unit. Kim was lying on the bed near the window, hooked up to a few sensor equipment and no other machine, from what Tara could see. The other bed was empty.

Tara walked near and slowly placed Rufus on Kim's chest. The naked mole rat looked very sad as he scurried near Kim's face and nudged her cheek. He was lightly pushing on her cheek. Tara understood, somewhat. Rufus was asking Kim to wake up.

Anne turned on the TV on the wall. She flipped through channels and stopped on one. Tara didn't understand what she did, so looked at the TV.

Anne realized the blonde's confusion. "Oh... It's just that Agony County's new episode is on, and Kimmie loves that show."

Tara smiled. "Me too! I didn't know she watched it."

"Oh yes. She has me record it if she is on a mission when a new episode is aired." Anne looked at Kim's chart. "I will go talk to the nurse, please sit dear." She left the room.

Tara took a seat near Kim's bed and watched Rufus lying on Kim's pillow. Her captain looked very different than her awake state. She seemed so peaceful and still. Very unlike the animated and always-in-action Kim Possible she had come to know.

Words spilt from her mouth before Tara could control herself. "I'm sorry Kim... I'm so sorry.."

"I'm sorry for being jealous...and-and useless.. I can't even cheer my boyfriend up. I knew no one can be you, but I can't even do one thing a girlfriend is supposed to."

"I'm sorry that you are lying down there, not living as you should, as you deserve to. I always knew that you were awesome, but after this... I know that you are without equal. I love Ron, and I know why he thinks you are the best. Because you are."

Unbeknownst to her, Anne was listening in from behind the door. She felt a bit better, to see that her daughter inspired such loyalty and charisma. She was proud.

Also very angry. As this entire thing was becoming clear to her. She knew what was going on. And she had eno-

A very loud explosion rocked the entire hospital, shook anything that was not nailed down to the walls. Anne found herself on the floor. Tara ran outside and helped her up.

"What's going on?!" The teenage girl was slightly panicky.

Anne shook her head and tried to determine where had the explosion came from. "I don't know but I intend to find out."

The TV in Kim's room switched channels. Or rather, the channel was hijacked. Both Tara and Anne turned towards it.

_"Good evening and a Happy Valentine's to you all, Middleton and Tri-City! We are here to present you all with a very special event, to commemorate the love in the air! Get ready for a FREAKY show!"_

They closed towards the TV to see a video feed. It was Flash from a security camera. He was lying on the ground, slowly getting up.

_"Today's first event! The man you all know and love oh-so-much! Saviour of humans, kittens and everything nice! The Flash, Scarlet Speedster himself!"_

Tara gasped as she saw Ron in the seemingly oval arena. It was an odd setup, with thick ice all around on the walls.

_"Today, he faces off against his most terrible enemy yet! Introducing our new big talent, please welcome him and his FREEEAAKKY skills! Let's all have a big round of applause for... CAPTAIN COLD!"_

A second man walked from the edge of the screen. From what they could see on screen, the man had a large dark blue trench coat with a hoodie he had on. The coat and the hoodie had fur linings. From the limited angle, they could barely make out large black sunglasses on his face. Weird part was that the arms of the trench coat were ripped off, revealing a reasonably muscled arm. There were ice on the gloved fist of the man, with some of it trailing upper on his arm.

_"Without further ado, I, Adrena Lynn, present you with the highlight of the year! Let the Deathmatch, begin!"_

* * *

Ron had heard the entire crazy speech and watched the man walk from the corner office. He saw his breath becoming visible and he felt the cold, if only a bit. And the man was still not near him.

"So, you're the crazy of the week huh? What's your thing? World domination? Sidekicking? A compulsive desire to cover everything in ice?"

The man's answer and voice carried out across the big room. "None of the above." It was calm, collected and worst of all in Ron's opinion, was not hinting at any arrogance. As an avid comic book reader _ and _ professional sidekick, he knew very well that a villain with no arrogance was bad news.

Captain Cold didn't waste any time talking and he simply raised his arms against Flash. The ensuing cold blasts were very visible, as the ice started around his hands and extended towards him.

Ron saw it happen too easily and moved to dodge. The blasts hit the wall behind him and created more ice. This man was not going to play around. More blasts of ice kept following Ron as he circled the man.

Unfortunately, he was not looking closely to the ground, which was slowly icing around the man as well. At his third pass, the ice broke his footing and he slid again, this time with much more speed. He crashed into two desks before crashing into the wall again.

He got up with shaky legs. The cold and the sliding was not good on his muscles. Cold fired a few blasts at him again, and Ron moved to evade again.

_Something is wrong. Something is VERY wrong._

Ron was slower this time, and not for lack of trying. One of the blasts caught him in the left arm and flung him across and into the wall again. His elbow and lower arm was heavily frosted, almost frozen on the surface. He vibrated his arm to shake it off, but found that it was much harder than it normally was.

"You are experiencing a slow down. Just as I suspected." The man spoke once more. More blasts followed and Ron forced himself to move faster than he normally did to avoid all the blasts. The slowly growing ice sheet on the floor was making things a lot harder.

Worse that the man simply pointed his open palms to the floor and helped it along. He was limiting Ron's movements.

_I have to engage him in close quarters immediately, or I'm going to be done very soon._

Ron forced himself to go even faster, an effort that would've put him over Mach 1 easily, and he was struggling to keep away from the ice blasts. He put more strain on his body and made a steep turn towards the man in the trenchcoat.

Just as he got closer and tried not to slip on ice, weirdest thing happened. An immense feeling of cold hit him and he literally slowed down. He was still reasonably fast moving for a human, but apparently Captain Cold was expecting this. He extended his arm and clotheslined Ron in the neck.

As Ron tried to gather himself off the ground, Cold walked closer and spoke.

"Engaging me in close combat. That was a mistake." The feeling of immense cold intensified.

* * *

Tara and Anne watched with the rest of Middleton, the explosion from before forgotten. Tara's eyes watered and she lightly whispered Ron's name as if he could hear him. Rufus was also watching with very worried eyes.

Then, the lights flickered and died. The power was either gone or cut off. TV also shut down as well. Anne shook herself out of stupor and ran out to check what's happening. Without any instructions, Tara took upon herself to check Kim. As Ron had said before, she actually didn't need any machines to live, she was sleeping as if in a very deep dream. So that was a relief.

Suddenly, the frightening noise of an automatic weapon echoed along the hospital. It was muffled and distant, but it scared Tara out of her wits. Then she heard crashes of windows from below. Looking down from the nearby window, she thought she saw grotesque shapes in the darkness, moving into hospital from ground floor windows.

The door to the room suddenly swerved and Anne Possible ran inside. There were blood on her hands. She ran to Kim's bed and unhooked her from all machines and sensors.

"What are you doing?! What's going on?!" Tara was a little panicky now. Rufus held onto Kim's hospital gown and stayed on her shoulder as Anne hoisted her comatose daughter and moved to carry her.

"They are coming for her." She took Kim in her arms easily and carried her bridal style, with a single arm under her daughter. "Power's cut and all communications are down. Someone planned this and they trapped Ron in a fight so he can't help."

They exited the room and Anne led them to a supply closet out of the way. After the opening the door, she gently lay Kim on the floor.

"You need to leave and hide as well dear. I don't know how many people are after her, but they won't bother with any others if you don't get in their way."

"What about you?"

Anne's eyes hardened. "I'll give them something to think about."

Tara looked at Kim lying on the ground. All alone, comatose, her mother off to fight God knows who, and she was going to run away?

For a long second, everything about Kim that she have seen or known flashed in front of her eyes.

_No. Not like this. I won't run away like this. I won't leave Kim alone._

Her hand's shaking lessened and she looked at Anne Possible with a new determination. Wordlessly, she took position near Kim and took the comatose redhead in her arms, albeit with some difficulty.

Anne looked at her and nodded. Then she handed her a pen, or at least what looked like a pen. "Laser scalpel. Deadly in close range. You press that red button continuously and the laser shoots out of the non-clip end of it." She put one hand on Tara's shoulder. "Don't hesitate if you are found."

Then, she closed the door, locked it over them and her retreating steps were heard. A moment later, Tara and Kim were alone in the dark, save for a very thin strip of weak light seeping under the door.

Tara looked at her ring and turned it on just like Ron instructed. He needed to know if he defeated that ice guy.

_**When**__ he defeats. Ron will not lose._

She took her cellphone out of her coat and looked at it. No reception. She looked at the screensaver, a photo she and Ron had taken during the formal dance.

* * *

John and Andrea had seen the start of the TV broadcast, so now they were speeding the car to their house. John had a Glock he had bought and licensed in case they ever needed protection.

Now, his son needed his help.

"You knew? That he was?"

John swerved between a few cars as he sped. "I've known from the first day that Flash made his appearance."

"But, how?"

John smiled faintly as he remembered a certain story. "My grandfather told me." He exited the highway and sped the car onto the road that would lead to the suburbs.

"John, your grandfather is dead."

"Exactly."

Suddenly, a yellow blur passed in front of the car. John's eyes grew, but he kept the car on the road, more or less.

He didn't notice the blur coming from the side though. The window on the driver's side exploded, and the steering wheel was turned a half tour in the blink of an eye.

The car swerved and started rolling as Andrea screamed.

* * *

As cold seeped inside his very cells, Ron tried to fight back against this Captain Cold. But he was getting his ass kicked big time. Even his attempts at super speed was failing horribly.

Cold caught him on a corner and started pummeling him. Ron tried to initiate a few blocks from Wooden Monkey, but his muscles were responding very slowly. After a few failed blocks, he tried a headbutt. Cold took it on his nose and momentarily got stunned.

Ron tried to scramble backwards away, but he was almost frozen. Cold got back and caught him. He was knocked back on the floor with the freezing hands of the man on his neck.

"I can freeze whatever I touch into absolute zero. The only reason you are still alive is that you are vibrating your molecules. But even that is coming to an end." Cold lifted Ron and flung him towards the nearby wall.

As Ron tried to hold onto his consciousness, his watch started beeping, continuously. Ron's senses went on alert as his brain told him what this was.

_Tara's ring. She turned it on!_

Then his eyes grew as he understood. "Th-there w-was ne-never any robb-robbery here, w-w-was th-there?"

Captain Cold slowly nodded as he raised his hands towards him again. "I just want you to know, this is nothing personal. I respect what you tried to do for the people."

"Th-then why are y-y-you?"

Cold's hands glowed white as he readied his blasts. "Because I have to."

Ron had gathered his energy and vibrated his molecules while they spoke. He rushed at the man, but the white blasts reached him first. Cold kept the blasts up and slowly froze Ron in an ice block.

In the streets, people screamed in terror as every screen available showed the broadcast. In a house not too far from the city center, a young boy watched as one of his best friends lost the fight and possibly, his life.

_No no no no no no no no. _ He tried to get a signal out, but all broadcast channels were blocked by Adrena Lynn, just like before when she had hijacked it to show her kidnapping of Brick. The AM frequencies he was monitoring suddenly showed a jump, and the police channels showed increased activity.

Wade turned them on and listened.

_"Get a unit out at Science Center ASAP! We need to save Flash and apprehend his attacker! 10-33 on Science Center!"_

_"Belay that signal! All forces, this is Officer Hobble! 10-35 at Middleton Memorial! Repeat 10-35 at Middleton Memorial! Possible terrorist attack, all available officers on-site, alert all EMTs on hand from Upperton Central Hospital!"_

_The hospital! Oh my God, they are attacking Kim!_

Wade panicked as he had no moves left. What could he do? All his resources were useless against a threat like that... He forced himself to breathe and not think about Ron for a second.

_I can de-scramble emergency broadcasts. Maybe I can break Adrena Lynn's broadcast as well._

He got to work. As soon as he started dismantling the location of Adrena Lynn's broadcast, he heard a beep from one of his auxiliary monitors. That one was tasked with showing him the state of his firewalls.

His firewalls crashed suddenly as a red writing showed on screen.

_Did you think that we forgot about you?_

Wade's eyes grew and he ran out of his room.

"MOM! DAD! GET OUT NOW!" He ran in the hallway and tried to get to his Mom and Dad in the living room.

Just as he reached the end of the stairs, he heard a boom and felt something pushing himself back towards the door.

Last thing he saw before he crashed through the front door was his Mom's face getting swallowed up by a raging inferno.

* * *

Anne Possible did not think that the day to use her training would ever come. But it had. So she did her best to remember it all.

She had gone off towards the stairwells that allowed access to the ward that Kim and Tara were hiding in.

What she had not planned for was the human / monkey hybrids that looked like a grotesque nightmare climbing the stairs. She ambushed one of them on top of the stairs and broke its neck from behind.

The rest of the hybrids went crazy and started to rush her. If anyone had seen Anne right then, they would not believe that the kind, caring neurosurgeon was the same person.

She flung one of the hybrids into the wall nearby and sent the monster through it. Two others rushed her from above, but she used the surgical scalpel that she was hiding in her sleeve to cut their throats. Next time, the hybrid monsters were more careful and rushed her with six of them at once, covering almost any avenue of escape she had.

Almost all. She jumped into the hole she created earlier and found herself in a small single patient care unit. The hybrids tried to follow her, but the opening was only big enough for one. Anne stabbed the first one that tried in the throat, and broke the neck of the second one to pile it on the first one. With the hole plugged, they tried the door, but it was locked.

Suddenly, their monkey like screams abated and the door was left alone. A few seconds later, a small explosion took the door off its hinges and blasted it backwards into the room.

Through the smoke, she made out the silhouette of a man.

"I'm so very impressed, Mrs. Possible. Indeed, maybe we should've guessed Kimberly's talents were not just chance, but actually excellent genetics. Betty's remaining eye works as good as always, it seems."

The man stepped inside. Anne saw that he had brown hair, well-trimmed beard and an eyepatch on his left eye. He also had a metal arm. His normal hand was holding a handgun.

"Unfortunately, we don't have much time and I don't feel like inquiring." He raised his metal hand and extended his fingers. The fingers deconstructed and revealed mini-rockets shooting out of them.

Anne's eyes grew and she reacted instinctively by jumping back into the window. She barreled through it and towards the ground in a two-story fall. The room exploded behind her.

She landed on the trees in the hospital garden and then met the ground in a roll. As she tried to rise, she realized that her left ankle was severely sprained.

_No...They are going to find them!_

She prayed to someone that she thought she'd never reach out to.

_Please... Just this once... Help me. Bring Ron here._

* * *

Tara's fear grew as animalistic screams got closer and a few gunshots were heard. She held onto Kim as tight as she could. The crashes of doors and windows steadily grew closer.

"Find Kim Possible. Kill her. We don't have much time people." A man's baritone sounded too close for her comfort.

_Please. Please God, please help us. Ron, please make it here in time!_

Five miles away, in Science Center Lab Complex 4D, Ron was unconscious. He was swimming in darkness as absolute zero slowly shut down all his functions.

_**They need your help. **_**Kim**_** needs your help.**_

Ron's eyes tried to open but couldn't in the ice block. He tried to vibrate himself, but no molecule of his answered.

Then, something he had felt ever since the accident, but could not really perceive slowly made itself apparent. Ron felt an energy, a source that was close to him.

Actually, it was as if the source was inside him. He began to draw from it.

His molecules started to vibrate. He drew more and more energy, as much as he could.

The ice began to glow from inside. The glow brightened up and the ice began to melt. Finally, with a last surge, the ice block exploded to reveal Flash. He had tendrils of lightning dancing all over him.

He looked at the exit for only a second before he exploded into a blur and crashed through the ice.

The broadcast was still on, even if Adrena Lynn had stopped speaking, so the people of Middleton saw this. Cheers throughout the city were heard.

Ron made it outside and looked at his watch.

_Hospital. Tara and Kim._

* * *

Tara whimpered softly as the footsteps of a man stopped in front of the door to the supply closet. Her heart raced in her chest, beating like a hummingbird's wings. She didn't dare to even breathe for a while.

Then the retreating footsteps were heard. She dared to take one big breath as relief washed over her.

And all of a sudden, the door was pulled off the hinges and Tara screamed. She saw that a horrifying monster that looked like a giant monkey. She pointed the surgical laser and fired it to the face of the monster. It retreated with a scream, holding its eye.

The man with the metal hand walked inside and stood right in front of Tara holding Kim.

"Hmm. Such loyalty she inspires. I'm finding protectors at every turn. But I don't recognize you girl."

"Le-leave Kim alone. She did no-nothing but good things."

"Matter of perception. Now, do yourself a favor and get out of my way."

Tara found the courage to speak loudly as she can. "You will lose. Flash will come and stop you."

"Flash is dead. Wade Load is dead. Stoppable is going to die along with his parents. Only she remains. So get out of the way."

Tara's eyes watered, but refused to cry. "Flash will come. No matter what."

"Didn't I just tell you that-" He stopped and his left hand went to his ear. He seemed to listen something.

"Time's up." He raised the handgun and pointed it towards Kim.

Time slowed for Tara. Her entire life flashed in front of her eyes.

_This is not fair. The reward of being a selfless hero cannot be death in a stinking supply closet._

_This is not fair at all._

As the handgun exploded, Tara pulled Kim and spun herself in front of her.

* * *

Ron didn't think as he pushed himself and ran on rooftops. People cheered for him as his red streak passed above them with a thunderous boom.

The city raced under him as Ron didn't heed gravity and just ran on rooftops as fast as he could. He had probably broken Mach 2 somewhere above the mall. Hospital grew closer and closer.

He saw a devastated entrance and smoke rising from all over the hospital. Furthermore, he spotted Amy Hall behind of what looked like an army of human/monkey hybrids.

But he didn't have time to contemplate.

Janice Patton was about to get mauled by one of these monsters that had appeared after the explosion. The creature's teeth were literally on her neck as a red streak passed them all by and things were crashing all around them.

All the hybrids were flung across, and Amy Hall was knocked into a car.

Ron sped alongside the hallways and up the stairs. He stopped at the stairwell to look at the dead hybrids and an exploded room nearby. He ran again to Kim's room, only to find it empty.

Suddenly, a gunshot was heard. Then another one. Ron didn't think as he started running along the hallway and saw a man pointing a gun towards a supply closet.

He ran as fast as he could and landed a punch on the man. The bearded man was sent through the wall nearby. Ron didn't stop and punched all the hybrids nearby as fast as he could.

He finally stopped and looked inside the supply closet.

And his heart stopped for a moment.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Credits Theme: Jehan Barbur - Seni Seviyorum**

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

He ran and grabbed the blonde girl protecting something. In the darkness, he was only able to make out the features of the face.

It was Tara, who had protected Kim from bullets. It was Tara, now smiling at his face. Ron just yanked the mask off his face and tried to look at the wounds.

Tara held his hand. "I...I k-knew you'd co-come."

"No no no, Tara stop speaking, let me get a doctor, just hold on." Ron raised his head and screamed.

"SOMEONE! A DOCTOR, ANY DOCTOR PLEASE HELP!"

Tara held his hand and tried to breathe. "It's...okay."

"No, no, don't talk like that." Tears fell on Tara's face.

"I..pro...protected her... She didn't de-deserve to die like that. You didn't... deserve to... lose her."

Ron held her hand and kissed it over and over. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry... Tara, please don't..."

"I love you Ron. You are the best man in the world. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you." Her bloodied hand rose to Ron's hair and caressed his face. "Ron... Please kiss me as if you love me. Please?"

Ron finally got to say what he was about to tell at the café earlier that night. "I love you Tara. I didn't think that I could ever be, but I love you."

He lowered his face and put his lips on Tara's. They shared a kiss, a kiss unlike any other. Through it, they could feel each other's soul.

Tara felt happy, even though she didn't want to die.

Now she knew.

Ron Stoppable did love her. He'd be with her the rest of their lives.

Ron felt the kiss breaking. He caressed the face of the girl he loved.

"Tara?" His voice quaked and broke. "Tara?"

She did not answer.

Outside the hospital, EMTs and police were arriving on the scene. Through the fires, Anne Possible hobbled inside the hospital.

Then, a scream unlike any other sounded throughout the building. Anyone who could hear it felt their blood freezing in their veins.

* * *

_**To be Continued in: "The War Still Rages Within."**_


	8. The War Still Rages Within

_**Important Announcement: **_**I have decided to insert a 'credit theme song' at the ending parts of all the chapters, previous ones included. I will give out the name of the artist and the song to search on Youtube for easy access. I feel they will add to the framing of the endings and I hope they will come across well and all of you enjoy them. Feedback on it will also be appreciated.**

**A.N.: If it's described that Ron is speaking from a very low tone, assume that it is the 'Terry McGinnis' brand of Will Friedle. **

**Legal Warning:**** As mandated by the gods of the fanfic community, I'm legally obligated to warn you that this chapter contains excessive amounts of angst and character analyses. The paper bags for your puking sessions are on the left.**

** UnStoppable Flash **

**Disclaimer: Kim Possible trademark and all characters belong to Disney.**

**DC Comics and all characters belong to Warner Bros.**

**Chapter 8: The War Still Rages Within**

The lights suddenly died out. In fact, every single electronic equipment within the precinct stopped working.

Amy Hall raised her head from her giggling. She was admiring her ever-present Otterfly cuddle buddie. Now, the cell she had been put in was in darkness, like every other neighbouring one. She tried to look in the hallway that was connecting the cells, but everything was obscured.

She only felt a slight breeze for a second. Then footsteps were heard and they came closer. Only the faint outline of a hooded person could be seen by the mad genetics expert. The only light source was a little window near the ceiling, looking to the street.

From behind the bars, the hooded figure stood and spoke with a nasal, yet deep voice.

"Who else was involved in the attack on Valentine's? Who organized it?"

Amy giggled. "Now that would be telling. But I don't want to talk right now."

"I don't think you understand your position. I'm not asking gently. I'm demanding." The voice had stayed level.

"You can't do anything meanie. I'm behind bars waiting trial. I'll be at a nice, cozy asylum soon enough. You cops can't do anything."

For a second, she thought that she saw two red glows under the hood. Then they were gone. The figure however, was not. He pulled out a set of keys and picked one. Amy's fear grew as the hooded man unlocked the bars and walked in.

"I'm not a cop." Before she knew what happened, two hands were on the collar of her sweater. Her back hit the wall and her feet slowly left the ground, as the man lifted her above. "I'm not going to ask again. Who else but Adrena Lynn was involved in the attack?! Who was the man with the eyepatch?!" The voice had risen a bit in anger, and Amy thought she recognized the voice from somewhere.

"What are you going to do, huh, you big meanie?! What's it to you?"

The voice dropped again, but so very low this time, it was almost a growl. "It's everything to me. EVERYTHING!"

She was suddenly hurled to the wall nearby. After she impacted and slinked on the floor, the figure simply towered above her and started landing devastating punches on her face. "TELL ME WHO IT WAS! TELL ME WHO WERE INVOLVED!"

Amy tried to talk back at this big meanie, but the blows were landing too fast for her to speak. She felt blood filling her mouth. Finally, the rain of punches stopped. "You...broke ...the...rules... No info for you...big meanie."

The figure's arm was raised again, but then he seemed to notice something. Suddenly, Amy felt her sweater shredding as the man pulled Otterfly away.

"Tell me what I want to know, or I'll find your house and do this to all your Cuddle Buddies."

Amy didn't understand. She couldn't see much in darkness but she could see Otterfly just in the man's hands.

"What are you going to- NOOOOO!" Otterfly came apart in a single move and the man in the hood didn't stop there, he demolished the plush toy into many pieces as if in a frenzy. Amy tried to gather the destroyed parts from the ground as she cried and bled.

The hooded man threw her on the far corner of the cell and stood above her. "You either tell me now, or I will destroy every single Cuddle Buddie in your collection."

Amy tried to slink back into the wall. "Stop! I'll tell you everything! Just don't hurt my cuties!"

She told him about the meeting, about who attended and what was discussed.

"Then we engineered Monty-kin's monkeys with Gemini's men into a single breed. They were not as cute as I wanted, but Gemini seemed to like them."

The hooded figure got closer to her face. "Last question. Why did you attack at innocent people? Why did you target the Stoppables and the Loads? Why did you bomb and deliberately killed people at the hospital?!"

"Gemini planned those, I don't know anything about that!"

The figure raised and took a deep breath. "I won't hurt your Cuddle Buddies." Amy took a deep breath as well. "But fifteen people died in the hospital. Fifteen human beings have perished because of your madness."

She was lifted and slammed on the wall again. One hand was keeping her stable.

Then the man started talking, as if reciting a mantra.

"Caroline Woodrow." The following punch caught her on the nose.

"Owen March." This one caught her in the stomach.

"Olga Pavkovic." The ribs.

"Vasco Hernandez." Ribs again.

"Nelda Benson. Silvia Nichols. Rose Anderson. Ece Yıldız. Adèle Bonham. Glenna Brooks. Angus McEarhearn. Mirza Khoroushi. Jarrod Saunders. Bella Rogers."

The punches had rained on Amy Hall one by one as the hooded man kept reciting. He seemed to stop as Amy was tethering on the edge of unconsciousness. His arm was pulled back again, but he seemed to be having trouble breathing.

He finally took a deep breath and removed his hood. Amy's eyes grew as she recognized the face through the bloody haze. This was Kim Possible's sidekick. Who was supposed to be dead. As she looked in the bloodshot eyes, she saw them glow red for a second as he uttered one final name.

"Tara... King." The following blow was not a punch but an open palm strike at her stomach. She spat blood and finally slinked on the ground, completely unconscious. The now-revealed Ron Stoppable was shaking with unquantifiable rage. His right hand went back up and for a moment, the thought of ending the life of this broken psycho seemed all too sweet.

Then, slowly, his hand fell to his side.

Ron walked out from the cell, took the key and walked outside the hallway. He dropped the keys on the nearby desk at the entrance of the lock-up and took a beeping device on the table.

_I'll have to thank Wade for this EMP generator. When he wakes up._

Sounds of running came from above. He deactivated the EMP generator and then simply blasted off towards the nearest restroom in the precinct.

As the power came back on, Officer Hobble found a note on his desk. It was a quick scribbling on a post-it.

_Your suspect needs medical attention. _

_I'd let her suffer._

* * *

_" I only know that shorty, Dementor said he was going to return to his lair in the German countryside! The others didn't say where they were going!"_

Ron knew where he had to look for Dementor. But without resources or Wade, he had no way of tracking his exact location. Luckily, he knew someone who kept track of that piece of shit professor.

His rival, Doctor Drakken. And he knew where he was currently residing in, since his last solo mission had involved running reconnaissance on his facility as part of Wade's request. So, to Switzerland it was. He took all his remaining energy bars and stuffed them in his bag. He also took his red hoodie with himself.

Luckily, the need for super speed during his solo missions had instigated Wade to fashion mission clothing that had friction proofed capabilities. He looked almost the same, only that his shirt was skin-tight instead of baggy and his shoes were made of friction-proof rubber.

He took off, before anyone knew he was in his house.

Two hours later, he found himself in the quiet tourism town of Schwägalp, St. Gallen. The first lesson he and Kim had learnt in infiltration was that it was always easier in the dark, so he sat down at a coffee shop. He picked a beverage that looked least expensive and ordered it. The young waitress asked something, but he was not paying attention.

"I'm sorry?"

"American? You look like one." She had a clear accent, probably from having to deal with tourists a lot.

"Yes."

"Oh, we usually don't get Americans until spring. And not as young as you." She was giving him a curious look.

Ron sighed and leaned back on the comfy chair. "Let's just say that I'm here to visit a friend."

The young woman flipped the notepad in her hand and jotted down his order. "Well, Mr. American, if you are still around at night, I finish work here at eight in the evening." She winked at him and walked away.

_What the... Was she hitting on me?_ He looked at himself to see if he could understand why. Then he realized that he had removed his hoodie, and the skin-tight shirt was showing his mildly muscular physique. This made him break out a slight smile. Just last week, Tara had said that-

He forcefully ended his train of thought and instead focused on how to gain information from Drakken.

* * *

_James Possible was pacing around behind the police line that was set up near the road. At first, when the word got out that an attack on hospital was conducted while someone was broadcasting Flash's battle, he had just wanted to rush there. _

_Then, in the span of two minutes, Anne called him twice with devastating news. First one was the news of the bombing of Load residence. Anne had not said much on that. He couldn't imagine the horror that must've caused._

_The real impact arrived with the second call. Anne first explained him who exactly perished in the attack at hospital, then released the second piece of news which basically necessitated his presence here._

_John and Andrea was in an accident, apparently while returning to their home. He had arrived at the scene fairly early, so he had chance to catch a glimpse of the two bodies lying on the ground before police set up the line and ordered him further back._

_Ron arrived about thirty minutes later, simply running from the city center. He looked as if he had trudged through hell and back. He panicked when he saw the car, thrashed and turned over._

_James barely had the time and strength to hold him before he rushed over the yellow tape and to his parents._

_"GET OUT OF MY WAY! LET ME GO! THEY ARE MY PARENTS!" _

_A few beat cops behind the line saw how James was losing the battle not to let go to the physically superior teenager. They rushed and helped in holding Ron down. It took four cops and James to stop and hold him down._

_"DAD! MOM!" James had to hold his tears back as Ron struggled and called for his parents._

_"LET ME GOOO!"_

* * *

Ron shook as he jumped awake. He had apparently fallen asleep in the waiting room of the train station of Schwägalp. He didn't remember what he had just dreamt about, but he was sweating cold. He breathed deeply for a while.

The sun had set, so it was time to act. Rule number five on Kim Possible's modus operandi on tracking down was to not let the trail go cold. He had to get to Dementor within the next fifteen hours.

Twenty minutes later, he was checking out the entrances for Drakken's lair. The air was colder than he was comfortable with. Then again, he was standing out in the open at Swiss Alps at some four thousand feet above sea level in the middle of February.

"And they make it look so badass in movies when you are on a roaring rampage of revenge, right Rufus?" Then he remembered. Rufus was with the twins. He had left him at Possibles before he had set out. His face fell again. The little guy was not in top shape after the whole episode at hospital.

He shook his head to concentrate. The vent in the cliff side rooftop seemed a plausible entrance. He was just about to speed towards there when he remembered a piece of history.

_"Ron! Don't just rush in there, we need to check the camera angles and sneak later!" Kim grabbed his arm and pulled him back to their original hiding spot._

He nodded absently, as if Kim was nearby. Then he used the binoculars he had brought in his mission backpack to map out a safe route to the vent. He may have super speed, but it was good to be cautious. The solo missions had taught him that.

After getting through the grating on the vent, rest was easy. Hell, Drakken had a freaking floor plan on one of the walls, so he had no trouble of avoiding all the henchmen quarters and make a straight line towards the mainframe of the compound.

_I should have paid more attention while Wade was going over the usage of this decryption module._

Then again, it only had a standard USB entrance, and so he plugged into one socket.

_"Access Granted. Welcome, Doctor Drakken." _Ron immediately started going through all the folders tagged with recon information.

_D. , Seniors, Global Justice movements, Latest on Villain's Digest... Really Drakken, Villain's Digest?... Okay, what the hell is this? ... Oh my God, did he seriously hide his porn folder in his recon info?... Moving on... Finally, Dementor._

Ron went over the information and copied over the location of Dementor's lair. It was somewhere in the outskirts of Dresden, near the Czech border with Germany.

"And who might you be, some sort of extreme thief? Believe me, Dr. D. doesn't have much in the way of cash." Ron's eyes grew slightly as he heard Shego's voice behind himself.

Ron spoke as low and from a baritone as he could. "I don't want any trouble. I already got what I wanted."

"Breaking in here, no alarms, no detection. I'm actually impressed." Ron heard her footsteps getting closer. He stepped away from the monitor, careful to not show his face.

"Dementor? What would anyone want with that loud-ass midget?"

Ron simply kept on walking towards the exit. A small plasma strike scorched the ground a few feet ahead of him.

Shego's voice had turned grim. "There's only one person who would want to go after Dementor, after the events of Valentine's."

Ron sighed. "So you saw the news. Just let me go without trouble, I have work to do."

"Take off the hoodie Stoppable, you look like a lame B-rated TV show character."

Ron removed the hoodie and turned around to look at her. Which was kind of a surprise, because instead of her usual combat suit combo, she was wearing green pajamas.

"Do I even wanna know why you would come into the mainframe in the dead of the night with your pajamas on?"

Shego sputtered and blushed. Ron drew a blank on her reaction. Then it came to him. "Oh my God. That was your porn in the recon files." He saw Shego trying to speak. "No. No no no. This never happened. I never asked. You never answered."

Shego composed herself and took a good look at him. "So you are going after him. What's your big plan Ronnie?"

Ron's eyes turned colder as he thought about Dementor. He knew the bombs were his forté as a world renowned chemist. He had actively targeted innocents.

"What do you think?"

"I've been watching the news just an hour ago. They were saying how the only apprehended suspect was beaten up severely in police custody, following a blackout."

"I'd say she got her due reward."

Shego sighed. "Great job, you have beaten up one defenseless, overweight woman all by yourself. What, you think you can just waltz into Dementor's lair and do the same?"

"No, my plan is to make Dementor sing first. He'll give me the info I need to find Adrena Lynn, Monty Fiske and Gemini, _then _ I beat the shit out of that maniacal piece of shit German reject."

The mainframe was dimly lit, so Shego wasn't entirely sure, but for just a moment, she thought Ron's eyes flickered to a red glow. She took a good look at his face as well. It was the face of a tortured man instead of the bumbling, joking boy she was used to seeing with Princess.

And it was unnerving. She had seen similar eyes looking back through the mirror, when she still used to do the hero gig. "You are going to kill yourself in this stupid mad dash of vengeance."

Ron snorted. "Why the fuck do you even care? God knows I don't."

Shego looked at him with pity. "I'll bet you Princess wouldn't like those words."

Ron's anger rose at the mention of Kim. "Not another word about Kim, not as if you know her!"

"So your bestie is in a coma and they attacked her. People died. News flash Stoppable, people die all the time. All those people at the hospital were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Shit happens."

Shego's eyes grew as Ron broke into an incredible dash and grabbed her before she could react. He held the collar of her pajama shirt and lifted her above ground. "Do you have any idea what happened?! What your friends did?!"

"Those psychopaths are not my friends! Dr. D. and I just left after they revealed how fucked up they were!" Shego kicked him in the chest and pushed him back off of her.

Ron looked at her after recovering from the blow. "You two had the chance to come and kill her, but didn't?"

Shego didn't answer, and Ron didn't push further on the topic. He always had suspected that the cynical, sarcastic plasma-wielder was more of an irritated bitch than someone evil, but he was surprised about Drakken.

He sighed. "My girlfriend died protecting Kim. Dementor's bomb took the ER and half of the hospital night staff with it...He also placed one in Wade's house..." Shego's eyes grew as she started to understand. "My parents were... waylaid on the road and when they tried to crawl away to safety...Someone just..." Ron choked as he recalled what was written in the coroner's report.

He turned away and walked to the door, not keen on the idea of Shego seeing his pain first hand.

"Gotham. That's where Lynn is."

Ron turned to her. "What?"

"She had been working with a thief of some sort ever since you and Princess ousted her. Goes by the name Cat. Runs hacking and disabling security. At least, that's what I heard through the grapevine."

The blonde looked at the dark-haired mercenary directly in the eyes. "Th... Thanks... For the info and... Not being a psychopath."

He moved to exit. Shego had one last thing to say to him. " Stoppable... Don't kill them... Killing won't bring anyone back... It won't make you hurt less.. It'll only hurt you more."

Shego looked down at her hands. "I should know. I tried."

Ron stopped walking but gave no other indication that he heard that last bit. "I owe you one, for the next time we meet." Then he simply left.

* * *

Ron's watch flickered to life as he was resting after crossing the Atlantic again. His supply of energy bars were running low, and his limited funding was going to dry up soon.

Somehow, the thought of going back to Middleton never crossed his mind. He didn't think about who might be worrying as well. When the watch activated by itself, he remembered that there was one person who might be very interested in what he was doing.

After he looked at the screen, and Wade looked back, neither spoke for a while. Then, as if by some unspoken agreement, Wade went into mission mode. _"You need to come back before you go after Dementor."_

"How do you-"

_"I might be a useless piece of trash otherwise, but this one thing I won't fail. I know where you have been. Now, get back here and get me out of the hospital." _Wade's pre-teen voice carried an edge to it that Ron definitely didn't like.

"Out... Uh... Out of the hospital? You sorta kinda survived a bombing and had a concussion last I saw you. Are you sure it's-"

_"Ron. I won't tell you again."_ The connection closed off.

* * *

Running back and forth the Atlantic had thrown off his sense of time completely. When he arrived at the Upperton Central Hospital, it was just a little over midnight. Instead of going straight for Wade's room, he decided to check the registry and see where Kim was.

She was easy enough to find, on a long term care unit. There were two guards at her door, so he just decided to come in by the window. He was finding the infiltration use of his power easier and easier. It was just a matter of going slow enough not to make more than a breeze and little sound.

The room was unlit, but a full moon was in effect that night. Ron pulled up a chair and set it down near the bed slowly, so as not to make much noise.

Kim looked fragile. Which was killing him. Kim had been kicking ass since they met at Pre-K. She had never been, even the tiniest bit, fragile. Yet there she lied, still and breathing as slow as humanly possible. The month in coma was beginning to atrophy her muscles. It would take a lot longer than a month to degrade Kim's physique seriously, but he could see the smallest changes.

"I could really use the assist KP. I could use you doing that thing where you make so much sense..."

He put his hand on top of Kim's left one. "Because I feel as if all reason is gone, and nothing makes sense anymore."

He just watched her expressionless face, lit with moonlight for a while. "I just wanted to say that if... I don't come back from this..."

Ron squeezed her hand and moved towards the window. "It's been one hell of a ride. I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat."

A strong breeze later, he was gone and the window was closed.

One lone tear slid down from Kim's closed eyelids.

* * *

Kim had no idea how much time had passed. She had been wandering around the same ruined Acropolis for a while. She recognized it as the one in Athens, as she and Ron had been there during a mission last year.

But the real Acropolis was not located in a pitch black nothingness where sun never rose. It was not a place which didn't let you leave.

First thing she remembered when waking up here was a scream. She had woken up to the most terrifying scream ever. At first, she didn't realize the voice, but after a few seconds, she had realized it as Ron's scream.

Ever since then, she had relentlessly tried to get out, and return to normal world from whatever hell hole that place she was trapped in was. It was not a normal plane of existence, as she had no sense of time or hunger or thirst.

Many chambers, rooms and hallways within the acropolis was sealed. She literally was trapped, with no way out.

Within the dark world, she thought she heard her mother a few times. But whenever she screamed back to her, all she got back was the cold silence of the accursed place.

Worse was that she could feel something watching her. She never perceived what it was, but the feeling was there, and she couldn't shake it off. She tried several times to lure it out or simply outsmart it to catch a glimpse. But in this weird world of eternal twilight, nothing was ever truly obscured or illuminated.

The only possible conclusion she had come up with was this was some sort of ancient magic or a curse. Before the deal with the Jackal and the weird amulet of his, she would never believe in such things. However, that event coupled with the moving and quite murderously active statue she had faced in the shrine had forced her to re-evaluate her beliefs on the singularity of scientific explanations.

So there she was, unable to come up with a way to free herself, or even figure out what the hell was going on.

All of a sudden, she felt her left hand getting warmer. Not like an uncomfortable burning but a rather nice feeling, like someone was holding it gently. She could feel it, someone was trying to reach to her.

Then, a voice she knew very well reached across the nothingness. He was saying something, but she couldn't quite make it. Then her hand felt as if it was squeezed and she heard a single phrase.

_"... been one hell of a ride.." _ His voice was broken and extremely in pain. Like the scream she had heard when she woke up.

She cried out to the dark skies as loud as she could. "Ron! I'm here! DON'T LEAVE! RONNN!"

The warm feeling on her hand evaporated and she suddenly felt very cold. Ron's presence was gone, all her efforts at making herself heard in vain. She couldn't help but to start shedding a few tears quietly.

**Weak. Pathetic.**

She heard the distinctive, genderless voice all around herself. The world itself responded to it and sort of resonated as the words travelled across the acropolis.

* * *

Wade dressed himself with clothes he had Ron brought to hospital. Afterwards, he just directed Ron towards his now ruined and burned down house.

Ron wanted to ask if he was sure, but Wade was entitled to sentimentality, especially considering what had happened. The pre-teen genius had two broken ribs and had trouble walking as the various injuries from the bomb's blast hindered him greatly. In spite of that, he insisted on walking to his house himself after Ron brought them in front of it.

Wade looked towards the burned remains of the front door with a haunted look. Then, wordlessly, he turned right and went towards the backyard of the house. Ron followed him without saying anything. He could understand what Wade was feeling. He had not entered his house except his own room, via his window.

Wade stopped in front of a pile of debris. It looked like the part of the roof had fallen there. He slowly moved to lift it. "We'll have to clear this off."

Ron immediately pulled him back. "Yea, an eleven year old kid with extensive injuries is going to be so much help. Stand back."

He grabbed the biggest part of the debris and lifted it slowly before tossing it away. Then he cleared the rest of the rubble in super speed. What was revealed was a metal hatch that seemingly opened into underground. There was a padlock on the hatch.

"The keys are...were in the house. You'll have to burn it with the laser lipstick."

Ron did exactly that after a great deal of effort, as this laser was not nearly heavy duty enough for cutting through an inch-thick padlock. After that, he opened the hatch and saw stairs leading down. "Is that a storm cellar?"

Wade nodded. "Yes... Dad is paranoid about nuclear-" His voice died out and Ron didn't say anything.

When they made it to the end of the stairs, Wade flipped a switch and clean white light shone from LED strips on the ceiling. Ron was very impressed with what he saw.

There were two couches on the back of the cellar, a table with three chairs around and a decommissioned fridge, from what he could see. A computer workstation, tiny by Wade's standards was in another corner. There were also a work table with gadgets, a medical station with appropriate tools enough to conduct a mid-level surgery and what looked like a tiny server farm.

"Holy shit. When the hell you prepared all this?"

Wade booted up his workstation and the server farm. "First time the idea hit me was after you started donning the suit. I realized that we would need a covert base to regroup and patch up if we needed. Stranger things started happening and I also realized we may need backups of data I had on my drives."

He slowly walked up to a nearby panel and activated a switch. Panels made of metal started lowering from the ceiling, covering the walls. One huge ass monitor lowered itself in the middle of the cellar.

"This latest upgrade is your work."

"What the what?" Ron drew a blank. "I'd have remembered if I freaking built a safe house."

Wade answered grimly. "Not if you had me purposefully hypnotize and make you forget that you ever did."

"What- Oh my God, the two days I can't remember when I was a super genius..."

"You constructed this, hypothesised a bunch of gadgets and devices and created an uplink to somewhere I have no idea about. You linked all the backups to my original servers and provided shielding. Those walls are three inches thick steel. With a special inlay to obstruct any and all surveillance. Only connection to the outside world is a cable you laid yourself and connected to the grid. All in two days."

"My God..."

"That ring you gave to..." Wade sighed, seeing the expression on Ron's face darken in lightspeed. "That was just the tip of the iceberg. We even have something that I can't quite come to terms with." He walked to the work table and pressed a button. A panel on the ground removed itself and a safe ascended from the ground. Then he opened it by inputting a combination, having his retina scanned and affirming with voice confirmation.

Inside was stacks of money, far far above in abundance than Ron could count in a hurry.

"Holy shit!"

"Exactly. Ron, the amount in there is slightly south of a million dollars. There was even more, before we procured the shielding. And all you said on how you got it was that it was an indefinite loan from the lawless."

Ron whistled. "In other words, he... I mean, _ I_ stole it from some crooks."

"I'm suspecting a cartel, since your freaking signal read somewhere at Colombia at one point."

"So... What now?"

Wade sealed the safe and hid it again. "This place was only to be used in an emergency, and I think this counts. The money, at least some of it is needed to replace my equipment. I have a plan to track the organizers."

He turned towards Ron. "Go to sleep Ron. According to my readings, you had not a decent sleep in about the last forty hours. I'll need you to run errands first thing in the morning. Then we move on to Dementor."

Ron looked at one of the couches. Sure, he was dead tired but... The idea of sleep scared him more than falling dead on his feet. He remembered about something he thought that Wade should know.

"Look... While you were at hospital... Your parents... They had to be..."

"I know." Wade was typing into his computer, with his back towards Ron.

"Your aunt oversaw it... She tried to hold out till you were awake but..."

"I know."

"I'm sorry..."

Wade didn't say anything. He just seemed to wipe his eyes with the sleeves of the hoodie he was wearing.

"Yeah... Me too."

* * *

_Ron was not able to stay at the Load funeral for long. James Possible had brought him there, along with his cousin Reuben, but after all, there was another funeral he had to go afterwards._

_Not that it mattered much. Wade had not woken up since he miraculously survived the bombing. Anne's prognosis was a mild-to-medium level concussion. Ron didn't know anyone else at the funeral. Wade's aunt and grandmother were devastated, but he had not much to offer in the way of condolences._

_For the past day, all he felt was a nothingness. He sort of felt numb after that night. His uncle Jeb and cousin Reuben had driven from Upperton to get him. All that was a blur. He had trouble remembering if he ate or slept. He didn't even recall how he had arrived at this funeral._

_So Wade's two remaining relatives, who also apparently knew about his parents, hugged him and cried. He tried to feel something, but numbness didn't pass. After the funeral procession ended, Reuben apologized for leaving early and James drove them back. They had seen three other funeral processions happening in the same cemetery as well. His hands shook a little for the first time, when he saw the people gathering there._

_Rabbi Katz was softly explaining the funeral procession to him and the rest of the Stoppables. His father's two sisters were there, along with his brother Uncle Jeb. He was supposed to be an avelim, one of the mourners. He hazily recalled that avelim had specific duties to perform._

_He heard something about a short eulogy and the tearing ritual, also about the graveside duties. His brain was simply too numb to process any of it though. He didn't ask anything, nor did he listen attentively. While Rabbi Katz went over the details with his uncle, Ron was half-carried outside by Reuben and a brown-haired woman he didn't recognize._

_That was when his over-active metabolism started giving out warning signals. His stomach has been growling for a while without Ron realizing it, but as he walked slowly in the chapel, his arm being held by two other people, his body gave out and he collapsed._

_That was when the others realized Ron had not eaten in the past thirty-six hours, since he had rushed to the scene of the accident. Reuben rushed out to find him some food while Molly Starter, Reuben's newly-engaged fianceé, stayed with him. He decided that she was nice enough, going to such lengths for a family she had not even married into yet. She was helping out with many things other family members couldn't as well._

_So there he was. After being almost force-fed some sandwiches Reuben found, he had followed the procession inside the chapel. Rabbi Katz placed the black ribbons on the clothing of the immediate family and then they all went inside. Many people whispered condolences and sympathies along the way, but he didn't hear most of them._

_James and Anne were of course close to the front rows. Twins were there as well, dressed in black and looking uncharacteristically somber. He picked out a few other people from the crowd. Steve Barkin was one. Monique was another. _

_Rabbi Katz read from the Book of Psalms as an opening prayer. Then the eulogies started. Ron was not sure if he was supposed to go up there and speak. He was not told to do anything of the sort. His aunts and uncle shared a few stories about his parents, and Anne was called up as a friend of the family to do the same._

_When she was finished, almost all eyes in the hall turned towards him. Rabbi Katz, sensing the problem by intuition and experience, ended the eulogies and started the _El Malei Rachamim. _ Then, people helped him up and directed him outside again._

_Graveside was a simple affair. After pall bearers carried the coffins to there, they were slowly raised inside the finely dug graves. Ron's hands shook more violently this time, yet he did not know why. He was still as numb as before._

_Finally, after the last prayers were chanted, the family symbolically started placing earth on the coffins. As mounds of earth started hitting both coffins in side-by-side graves, Ron's memories started acting up._

_He saw many goofy things his father did. How his mother cleaned up after him when he was little. How his father helped him in math. The playdates with Kim they brought him on. Double family picnics with Possibles. His mother's stern looks whenever he screwed up, which were many times. His father's sympathetic gaze whenever he asked or needed something. Their fucked up way of telling him things, which was always after when it should've really been tol._

_The way his mother smiled brightly as he had shown his improving grades. The way his father's face beamed with pride after the successful missions with Kim._

_The shovel was offered to him as he was thinking. He took it slowly. He threw some earth on his father's coffin._

"That stuff is not what makes you a man. What's important now is what kind of man are you."

_His hands shook some more as he placed some earth on his mother's grave this time._

"Accept the things you cannot change, have the courage to change the things you can and have the wisdom to know the difference."

_With this, last of the avelim placing earth on coffins, graveside ritual was concluded. _

_Jeb and Reuben moved to get Ron, still holding the shovel. Then, as people slowly left, Ron wordlessly started to cover up both coffins by himself. No one dared say anything to him, and he didn't say anything to them._

_The shaking in his hands had reached his heart and the numbness had worn off slightly. Replaced by a hot, red mass of rage Ron was unable to control. _

_For an hour, he kept covering up the graves and used all of the prepared soil nearby. He used the back of the shovel to smooth out the tops and placed rocks along the edges of both graves._

_Most of the procession had returned to town and to Jeb's house where the shiva would be observed. Ron knelt in between both graves._

_"I'm sorry... Mom, Dad... I can only hope you are not disappointed..."_

_Another piece of memory floated to the surface._

_**Cause of Death: While many contusions, external and internal injuries were sustained by both Stoppables, definite cause of death is cervical dislocation, by an unknown third party. **_

_He had read the coroner's report. So he knew, beyond the shadow of doubt, that someone had caused them to go off the road, flipping the car, and finally breaking their necks while they presumably tried to crawl away from the accident._

_If anyone were able to see his eyes at that moment, they wouldn't see the light brown of his irises. All they would be able to see was pure red orbs almost glowing in daylight._

_When his uncle and cousin came to collect him, he was already gone._

_He had things to do._

* * *

"Ron! Wake up!" Said blonde pretty much jumped up from his lying position on the couch and stood ramrod straight, as if getting ready to fight. Then he promptly fell back on the couch. He was sweating cold profusely again and he realized that he must've been thrashing a lot as the hoodie he was using as pillow was all messed up and thrown off.

Wade had shook him awake and apparently had not slept himself. The injured pre-teen looked tired and haggard, but determined as hell. Ron shook himself awake fully. There was work to do.

"What's the plan?" Ron took the hoodie and shook it loose violently to get dust off of it.

Wade squinted at his friend very inquisitively. Ron's sleep was not at all peaceful, that much was very expected given the circumstances. What worried him was his sometimes rather violent mumbling. Multiple times he had heard the name 'Gemini' and words like 'punish', 'justice' and 'blood' at the same sentence. At one point, Ron had let out a scream that sounded more like the roar of an injured predator more than a human's.

Yet what could he do? For he understood Ron, maybe better than anyone else in the world. For both their sakes, this business needed to end as fast as possible. Otherwise, the slow descent Ron had gotten started on with Kim's coma could find a very unpleasant end. Contrary to popular belief, Ron was not without anger.

And Wade knew this well. He and Kim had long talks on the subject matter after the whole Mystical Monkey Power deal went down. Without control, the power had overwhelmed Ron and had brought out the deepest, darkest side the goofy teenager never showed to the world.

Ron Stoppable, if not kept on the side of goodness, was a serious threat. All the more so, as he gotten more and more used to his superpower.

Hell, he himself knew this. Part the reason, Wade suspected, why the super genius version of Ron devised numerous counter plans to neutralize himself, entrusted him with the plans and devices needed to do so, then had his memory erased.

So this had to end quick. And without Ron losing control.

"I need you to immediately go out and meet my contact at Lowerton South District. He runs a hardware store there. He'll provide most of the replacement equipment I need in exchange for cash."

"Why Lowerton? Not to mention South District, that place is probably the shadiest part in the entirety of Tri-Cities."

"Because Ron, most of what I need is top-of-the-line counterfeit hardware with either serious government sanctions on their use and / or a wait list the size of my arm from legitimate sellers."

Wade retrieved a sizeable amount of cash from the safe and placed it in a small bag. Ron took a look at it.

"Call me crazy, but I think there is almost a hundred grand in there."

"Ninety thousand dollars. That's the value on the market. He tries to over price to newcomers, but he'll know not to mess with my buyer."

"Oh?"

"Last time he tried that, IRS fined him for minor tax evasion. He got the message."

Ron shook his head slowly. "Seriously, don't ever do the villain thing. I don't think anyone could stop you."

Wade threw him a small smile. "Get going. We need the equipment set up within the day, if we are to get you to Germany within the next twenty hours."

Ron moved to exit. Wade called after him with a final warning. "Also, almost every cop in Middleton is looking for both of us, so definitely don't take a step towards there."

* * *

After several hours, Ron had finished setting up all the equipment Wade needed per his directions. During the process, he informed Wade of all the information he uncovered.

"So Shego simply gave up the information? No fight, nothing?" Wade was under the workstation, completing the final connections.

Ron sighed with uncertainty. "I don't know man, something has been off with her story from day one. We don't even know her real name. Which is odd, considering her wanted status in eleven countries."

Wade sounded an affirmative from below the station. "To be honest, I just pulled off her file from the Interpol database. And they didn't have her name either. Weird, but with the superpowers and all, never bothered to check the background."

"Doesn't matter now. Anyway, give me the rundown. What exactly you planned?"

Wade came out from the workstation and stood up with Ron's help. He grimaced as he took a seat and rebooted the entire system. "This Gemini person you mentioned is completely off the grid. And you'd be surprised how many brown haired, middle aged Caucasians with eye patches are running around. There are like fifty of them registered into Interpol and Department of Homeland Security watch lists. That look is popular amongst mercenaries."

"But you have a way to track him down?"

"Absolutely. You completed half of the leg work, thankfully. First part is to get the broadcast frequencies Dementor used for his bombs, because only the predetermined frequencies with proper encryption codes would work during their communications blackout on Middleton. Second part is to obtain the said encryption codes."

"Wouldn't Dementor have those?"

"Probably not, he would use a Sat-Phone or portable system to detonate the bombs. No need for continuous broadcast. However,-"

Ron's face darkened. "Adrena Lynn would most definitely have the codes, since she was both the one doing the jamming and running the actual TV broadcast."

Wade looked impressed. "Correct... Are you sure you are not least bit higher in IQ after the Phoebus effects?"

Ron snorted. "I think I would know if I was different. It's just that... Let's just say proper focus on education and getting used to thinking in super speed have its advantages. So... Adrena Lynn. All I have on her is one big damn city, unfortunately."

Wade activated lots of protocols in succession. "Let me worry about that. I'll have information on her whereabouts by the time you get what we need from Dementor's lair."

Ron put on the hoodie and prepped his mission bag. When he was about to close it, he saw Wade extending five bills of hundred dollars in his face. "Go and eat before speeding across the Atlantic again. And stock up on energy bars. Your vitals show that your glucose levels are dangerously low."

"I can handle it."

"Ron, I'm not asking you. I'm the mission command, and we will do things my way."

Ron sighed and took the money. He was about to leave the storm cellar when he heard Wade speaking softly to himself.

"We lost enough people as it is."

* * *

Dresden was a fairly large city, but the outskirts of the city were less populated with plots of land in between residence buildings.

The latest lair of Dementor was one such residence, covered by a fairly dense thicket at all sides. While it gave Ron the advantage in covered approach under darkness, it also made for a great net of security to be weaved both in and out the premises.

Wade supplied him with one bit of information that he incredulously listened.

"Run that last bit by me again, because for a moment, I thought you said I can't take Dementor in custody?!"

Wade sighed and it all transmitted into the earpiece Ron was using. _"I said, Dementor a.k.a. Professor Dietrich Demenz has a special immunity deal with KSK. He can't be touched within German soil."_

"What the hell is a KSK?"

_"Kommando Spezialkr__äfte__, German Special Forces. Dementor supplies them with top of the line tech like my own, and they leave him to his own devices, as long as he doesn't actively target German citizenry and government."_

"Bull fucking shit! They have a deal with that murderous motherfucker?! What kind of crooks are these?!"

_"Welcome to the world of escalating espionage. First world countries will use any resource they can get their hands on to retain technological superiority. Including working with criminals like Dementor. Meta-humans scare them all senseless."_

Ron's face darkened. "So I can't hand him over to the _ Polizei._ Whoop de fucking doo. Let's see what will they do when I leave him broken on the ground."

Wade's sound came across as concerned. _"Ron, there are currently thirteen people with specific HenchCo Muscle Enhancer rings inside the compound. Maybe more without them. And Drakken's security is twenty times better than Drakken's. You might be in serious danger without using the full range of your abilities."_

"No. The name of Flash cannot even come close to this. Forget the fact that it's too easy to tie the name to me if that happens, but that name has a meaning to people. I have to do this as Ron Stoppable."

Wade sighed again, but didn't say anything else on the subject matter. _ "Get the special connector I gave you to any USB plug on any of their closed system computers, and I'll gain remote access. Until then, I can't provide you with any assistance. Ron, if you are insisting on doing this as, well, yourself, I strongly recommend getting to a USB port first. That way, I can generate an EMP to shut down all those rings."_

"Roger that. Ooooh, always wanted to say that." He snickered as Wade simply sighed.

He fastened the hood and the straps of the mission backpack, then slowly began to make his advance.

_"Cameras first, patrol routes second, then we go in."_ He recalled Kim's infiltration instructions. Cameras were the easy part, they were not mobile ones and just covered a set angle he could easily see the holes in between. Patrols were noticeably harder, as they moved around. None of them was one of the muscle-enhanced henchmen, but had automatic guns in their hands.

Ron weaved through the thicket and approached the compound itself. It had a wall all around that was at least ten feet high. Picking a camera blind spot, he used just enough super speed to jump over the wall. He landed on the other side, and sped across to get himself near a window on the upper floors. All the guards on the perimeter felt was just a sudden strong breeze.

He entered via an open window at third floor. The compound was built like a villa and had two more floors. Yet somehow, the elevator he found had buttons for a full eight floors.

_Underground section. That's how he is hiding his lab. Now for the connection to Wade..._

He searched the floor he was in, only have to avoiding one lone guard. Yet no connected PC were anywhere in sight. He wanted to use the elevator, but that would be basically announcing that someone was coming through. He kept going lower until he reached the door towards the underground floors.

The door was electronically locked, but Wade's comb-sequencer made short work of it. The first underground floor was almost too brightly lit, with white light all around. He had trouble weaving across the cameras watching the halls, but he made it to some sort of big door.

Beyond the door, he could hear men speaking. It was possibly some sort of mess hall. Underground, his connection to Wade has been severed. He had to find some sort of access port in a hasty fashion.

He went below one more floor. Finally, after evading a patrolling guard, he slipped into a lab space and found some connected computers. He booted them up and quickly plugged in the decryption connector Wade had given him.

After ten seconds of the connector breaking through the firewalls and encryptions, Wade's face showed on the screen. Another ten seconds later, his earpiece came back to life.

_"I'm plugged into their network. Rerouting access codes to my workstation. Established full connection with your earpiece and the watch."_

Ron nodded and checked his watch for local time. It was almost midnight, which meant he could catch Dementor with his guard down. "Get me a full compound reading if you can. I couldn't find Dementor on upper floors, and yet to encounter his enhanced henchmen."

_"Scanning. I'm rerouting all the camera footage to my location. That should make your job easier."_

"Won't they know something's up?"

_"I'm looping old footage into their security control center. It's gonna be okay. Okay, there is an activated lab at the lowest floor. I'm reading only one man in there. That's most probably Dementor."_

"Where are we on getting the frequencies?"

_"No dice. It's not in his system. You'll need the phone or whatever device he used."_

"On my way." Ron checked the door and then made a beeline for the stairs to the lowest floor.

_"The EMP is ready to go off any second. Give the signal when you are ready."_

Ron found the lab Wade mentioned and entered slowly. It was a big, expansive room with many weird looking contraptions inside. He walked softly as he tried to find where Dementor was.

Suddenly, a big spotlight was trained on him, then a few sections on the wall removed themselves to reveal enhanced-muscled henchmen. They filed out and surrounded him. Drakken's voice sounded from across the room, on a platform slightly elevated.

"I knev you'd come for me, Schtoppable! You vill die here nov! Curse ze fate zat sent you here!"

Ron growled slowly. "You finally got my name right." He smiled with a grim look. "You are afraid of me."

"KILL HIM!"

Ron counted around twenty of the henchmen charging at him. It was not possible to take them on without excessive super speed usage.

So he whispered. "Hit it now Wade. Fry everything."

A soundless blast washed over them all and all lights went out. Ron heard the cries of the henchmen as the rings fizzed and popped, stopped working. He pulled out special sunglasses from the backpack's front pouch, put them on and activated night-vision.

Then he started knocking out the henchmen one by one. Without the rings, most of them were average guys with average physique. He either chopped them in the neck or kept squeezing their necks until they passed out.

As more and more voices were silenced, Dementor's cries of ordering his henchmen around turned into fearful whimpers.

All the fighting sounds were cut off. The professor backed towards a big screen that was normally used to oversee the lab operations. He could hear groans from a few downed men, but nothing else.

Then he felt a slight tremor under his feet. Someone had just jumped on the platform he was on.

"Schtoppable! Ve can talk about 'zis! No need for fiolence!"

Ron's low and nasal voice came from right near the professor. "I disagree."

Dementor felt something smashing into his stomach and doubled over. On his knees, his head was grabbed and smashed into a knee. He was knocked back on the ground. He tried to crawl away but he was grabbed from his shirt.

He tried to speak quickly as he was pulled to his feet. " My government von't allov you to valk avay! I am 'zeir azzet!"

"Let me show you how much I give a fuck."

Dementor's head was grabbed and smashed into the console behind him. His helmet came off. A hand grabbed his hair and threw him on the ground after that.

"Now listen to me closely. I want Gemini. I don't think anyone with half a brain would be stupid enough to trust you with any sensitive information, so I won't ask you about him."

The big screen near them flipped on slowly, with lots of static at first. Then the image clarified and showed the face of an African-American kid with a few burn marks on his face.

Ron pulled off the sunglasses and directly looked in Dementor's eyes. "How did you activate the bombs at the hospital and Load's house?"

"I did nat bo-" Dementor's words were interrupted as Ron's feet pressed on his neck.

"DO NOT LIE! You are not in a position to lie! Now, look at the screen, and tell him how you activated the bombs that killed his family!"

Ron pulled Dementor and forced him to look at Wade's grave face on the screen. "Tell him how easy it was to rip someone's family from him!"

Dementor froze, unable to speak as he looked to the screen, and into Wade's deep black eyes.

Wade's sound came through clear as if he was there himself. _"Lontaine and Janet Load. Those were their names. But you didn't care, did you? ... Ron, see if there's a phone on him."_

Sure enough, there was a satellite phone. Ron pressed it on Dementor's face. "Was this the device you used for detonation?"

Dementor, unable to speak, frozen in fear, could only nod. Ron put the phone in his backpack.

Then he turned towards Dementor and landed two devastatingly fast punches on his face. "That was for Lontaine and Janet Load." He threw Dementor on the console again.

"But I have fifteen more names for you. Fifteen people who will never ever return home to their loved ones."

He started reciting the names as a mantra, just like he did at Amy Hall. This time, however, he was sometimes punching twice for a name.

After uttering the fourteenth name, his fist remained in the air. Dementor fell down and crawled away slowly.

_"Ron. That's enough." _ Wade's voice carried a nervous edge.

Ron turned towards Dementor slowly. And that's when Dementor lost it completely. He was brutally beaten, but not enough not to see Ron's eyes.

For in the darkness, with Ron's back towards the only light source in the entire lab, Dietrich Demenz could easily see two glaring, flaming red orbs boring down on his soul.

He tried to crawl away frantically as Ron advanced on him. "Nein! NEIN! Stay avay! _Der D__ämon__ der H__ölle__!_"

Ron ignored his frightened screams and Wade's words. "The last name belongs to the youngest of whom you helped getting killed. Her name was Tara King. Noble, brave and kind hearted to the end. She didn't get to have her dreams. Never going to became a teacher like she wanted to be. Never going to have this little family of her own."

He pulled Dementor and raised him above himself with a single hand on the professor's neck.

Wade realized something was very wrong. Ron was reasonably strong, but holding a grown man, even one as short as Dementor, he could not accomplish with a single arm, let alone with such ease._ "Ron, that's enough!"_

"And you get to live while she is dead? You get to continue doing whatever evil you please while she never gets to live her life? Answer me this Dietrich. Is this justice?" Ron's voice had dropped to very low tones again. Dementor could do nothing but whimper.

Wade screamed this time. _"Ron, that's ENOUGH! He's not worth it man, not worth it at all!"_

Ron's other hand, balled into a fist, pulled back as far as his shoulder allowed, trembled. Demenz saw the red eyes flicker in the darkness.

Then, without warning, Ron threw Dementor behind him and collapsed on his knees. He was breathing heavily as he felt the rage subsiding. A sudden wave of exhaustion hit him, forcing him to take several more deep breaths.

_What the hell was that..._

_"Ron, you okay man? Talk to me Ron." _

Ron got up on shaky legs and looked at Wade on the screen. "I think... I am.."

Wade sighed as he leant back. Ron had somehow retained some sense at the end. _ "Get out of the compound Ron. I'll fry all their hard drives and cameras, all the digital traces. You want to be out of there as fast as possible."_

Ron looked at Dementor lying on the ground. He had totally passed out, apparently having soiled himself.

"I'll see you in a while. Stoppable out."

He put on the nightvision sunglasses and sped away as the monitor died again.

Few minutes later, he was outside and already speeding away back towards the States.

* * *

_"Ron, lift me up more!" A six year old girl with twin pigtails was trying to sit on another kid's shoulders._

_"Kiiiim, I can't lift you more!" The said kid was a blonde boy, trying to stand on his feet while simultaneously holding the girl._

_They were trying to reach a lower branch on an apple tree. From a bit far ways, a voice called for them._

_"Kids, don't get hurt over there. Kimmie-cub, don't jump on Ronald's shoulders." James Possible warned them, sitting on a picnic chair. John Stoppable was sitting on a similar chair, sipping soft drinks along with James._

_"Let them run around James. It's all grass under their feet, they'll be okay." Anne called from nearby. She and Andrea were sitting on a large picnic blanket, each holding one baby._

_"Ronnie will be fine, he has the sturdy build of his father." Andrea spoke as she nuzzled baby Tim and made him giggle._

Some distance away, the present day teenager version of Kim stood, watching the scene with a warm smile. She recalled this day pretty clearly, as it was probably the first adventure she and Ron had been on. They had gotten lost in the woods after wandering off. Kim had panicked as they couldn't find their way back while Ron was getting scared by every other sound around them.

Then, after almost an hour of blindly looking for the way back, Kim had the good sense of backtracking their footprints. Meanwhile, Ron had kept getting stuck in bushes or tree branches. Finally, they found the clearing their families were in when Ron got stuck in another bush, then rolled out and away on a hill, landing on the trail they had first gotten lost from.

That was, to Kim's knowledge, the first time they both witnessed Ron's 'dumb skill.'

She watched as her younger counterpart and her friend wandered off.

**Seeking solace in happy memories, instead of facing your fears.**

The pleasant clearing in the woods gave way to the twilight world and blood red skies. Kim was back on the surface of the acropolis.

She remembered now. After the first time this bodiless voice had called out, she had run away and somehow opened a door within the ruins. This was her mind, and apparently, something had trapped her here.

She didn't run this time. The voice was right. She had to see this through to get out.

"Show yourself, whoever you are. I'm tired of this god damned twilight. I'm afraid I'll be beginning to sparkle if I see sun after this."

**Joking to mask your fear. You are not nearly good at it as your friend. For I can see into your heart Kimberly. I can see it all.**

Kim turned around and kept looking everywhere as she spoke. "Why are you doing this?!"

**Because it is my purpose. My task, entrusted to me by the Mistress. To test, to judge, to ascertain.**

_Test? _ Kim recalled the bodiless voice she heard when she walked into the statues room in the shrine. She understood what was going on.

"I never completed that test, did I?"

**Indeed you have not. And I don't think you ever will. You are not worthy. Not worthy of your family, not worthy of your friends, not worthy of your blood.**

The air began to swirl in front of Kim as the darkness began to coalesce and slowly take a form. Kim's eyes grew as an exact replica of herself walked, fully formed. When the double spoke, Kim heard her own voice overlaid with the bodiless, genderless voice from before.

**"You are not worthy of your own form. Your abilities. Your power."**

The replica Kim suddenly surged forward and came at the real one. Kim barely had enough time to raise her guard and block the flying kick. Her arms creaked from the force of the blow, and Kim was blown back.

She crashed into a column and crumpled on the ground.

**"Your fears. Childish. Your desires. Selfish. Your motivations. Insincere."**

Kim raised her head to see the replica walking towards her casually. **"Your friendship. Destructive."**

**"I was sent to the world of the mortals with the greatest of purposes. The promise of a higher calling, a greater destiny."**

The other-Kim lifted her and looked at Kim directly in the eyes. **"Instead, I get this wretch." **

Kim was thrown again, this time directly to the ground nearby. She groaned, but somewhat amazed that she was not feeling all the broken bones those two last attacks should've caused.

The other-Kim continued battering her with words. **"You are so far from being complete, being in control and unaware of yourself that you could not even wake up to your mind. Adrift in darkness, I had to wait for you."**

She took a step and stood directly above Kim. **"And even when you are here, your efforts have been weak. You are not worthy of your heritage, your blood. You are not even worthy to be called your own mother's daughter."**

The other-Kim swirled with darkness and the form started to change. After a second, Kim had to rub her eyes to make sure. In front of her stood a very familiar form, and if she had not noticed the differences, Kim would think, for sure, that was herself rather than her mother.

Anne was just a little bit shorter, enough to stand exactly at the same height as Kim herself. Her hair was longer and the tiniest lines around her eyes were gone. Kim realized that this was her mother, presumably at or around her own age. The outfit was the real kicker though. She was wearing black tights all the way from her ankles to the navel. Some sort of black heeled boots connected to the tights. On top she wore a red, seemingly armored tank top. The entire outfit was completed by the black leather jacket and the golden-looking bracelets fastened on the forearms.

**"Surprised? You should be. That's your mother at your age. In control of herself and her blood, in control of her own destiny. Purified from childish insecurities, sure of herself."**

The other-Anne pointed to Kim who scrambled to her feet. **"Look at yourself and tell me, how much do you weigh against someone like that?"**

"My mother... I don't... She never-"

**"Told you? Why would she? Does she need to prove anything? No. You see, Kimberly, I was tasked with the sole purpose of testing your mother. To make sure she was up to the path she would choose. You know what she did?"**

"I'm guessing you didn't get to do any testing at all, hence why you are being extra pissy right now."

**"Crude description, but ultimately it's not far from the truth. Your mother refused the path that was laid down in front of her. Decided that fate was something you make for yourself. Decided that, knowing all the consequences, to rebel. To forge her own path."**

The form changed to reflect the present day Anne. **"And for that, she has my respect eternally. You on the other hand. All the love a mother and a father can afford, all the loyalty one can get from your friend, all the charisma one could ask for."**

**"You tell yourself that you help people for nothing in return. Are you really?"**

"I never asked for anything in return. All we ever got in return was simple rides, to help _ more _ people!"

**"Of course. Because you can do anything, **_**right? **_**Including, and not limited to, gather all the attention and popularity afforded by the public. Thinking yourself superior to everyone else, hiding behind a thin façade of virtue. In reality, you thrive on their attention. It's almost as if they **_** worship **_** you. And what do you do to validate yourself beside that?"**

The form started flashing through her different outfits. In cheer leader outfit, in her casual clothes, the ones she used in group works in school, the outfit she uses when cleaning the parks.

**"Craving even **_** more **_** attention. Saying that you don't care is all well and nice, but we both know how honest you have been Kimberly. Truth is, you care, and you care about your image more than anything."**

The blackness shifted and got smaller. It solidified into Ron's image, when they first met each other.

**"You two were equals when you first met. Outcasts amongst cruel infants. Content with each other's company. Being friends. Sharing almost everything."**

The form switched again to show an older Ron. Kim recalled this, when they were at middle school.

**"Time passed, and he never once complained as you dragged him to one thing from another. You were still content, not caring if you were popular or not. Meanwhile, you didn't question yourself. Never wondering how you seemingly picked up things on the fly. Taking things for granted. Thinking that you were entitled to such superiority."**

**"And why would you? Why would anyone? You had the perfect life. You were entitled to all this. Yet, it was not enough. With all the things you could do with your abilities, you chose to join **_**cheer leading.**_** Such nobility, Kimberly. Such high aspirations."**

The voice turned vengeful. **"You wanted **_** more.**_** So you left your friend behind. Kept advancing through, what did your friends call it, **_** the food chain.**_** Then something happened. He, with all his loyalty and belief in you, pushed you towards something worthwhile. That first mission, it felt good for you. To help people."**

**"Yet even that quickly turned into your ego parading throughout the world. You kept doing good deeds, and took nothing in return. **_** Such a humble hero, **_** they said. Yet you never rejected the praises. Never turned down a camera flashing or left an interviewer hanging."**

The form switched to Ron in his mission outfit. **"Never, even for once, **_** including him in those.**_** Yes... Such humility, Kimberly. Unfortunately, not from you."**

Kim shook her head as she tried to reject all that the form was saying. The other-Ron didn't let up. **"He wasn't worthy. Not for the people you saved, not for the media, not for your friends... And not for you. A good friend stands by her friend no matter what, but do you know what a **_** true**_** friend would have done?"**

**"A true friend would pull up her friend. Encourage him. Force him to become better. Oh, but what am I saying? You were already doing more than enough for him. After all, you were **_** letting **_** a loser like him to hang out with the head cheerleader. Besides, you were busy enough. Why, you had signed up to almost every single activity one can participate in... To be even **_**more **_** popular."**

The darkness swirled and the form returned back to Kim's own.

**"I could go on all eternity. But you would still be ignorant to your own tragic existence. Because deep within yourself, you lie to yourself about your very soul."**

She surged forward and held Kim's arm. **"That's why I will show you."**

* * *

Ron dropped the satellite phone on Wade's workstation and plopped down on the couch nearby.

Wade didn't say anything while Ron unwrapped an energy bar and devoured it.

After Ron's third energy bar and half a gallon of water downed, Wade finally spoke. "Are you okay, Ron?"

Ron seemed unfocused. "Huh?... Oh, yeah, let me get one more bar and I'll be good to go."

"That's... not what I meant."

"I didn't take any hits in Germany, I'm totally fine."

Wade didn't buy the act for a second. "You damn well know what I mean."

Ron shook his head, sighed and leant backwards on the couch. After a short silence, he spoke. "What do you want me to say, that I'm angry? Damn it man... They... They _ killed _ our families. I'm surprised that I can still sleep. Do you not feel what I feel? This... This... Hot mass in your chest, begging to be freed..."

"Ron, I have hacked into Amy Hall's hospital file this morning. All I needed to end her would be to switch her pain medication with another strain she is known to be allergic against. After you left, I locked down Dementor's compound. I could easily turn off all power and completely seal the air inside, suffocating everyone inside within five hours. My fingers typed in the commands and I lingered on the button to enter the command."

"Holy shit..." Ron was properly shocked now.

"I can do more damage, take more lives and probably scare the remaining criminals, ordinary or otherwise, in the time it takes you to run a lap around the globe. I'm still planning on how to hack into NORAD so I can unleash an entire fleet's worth of non-nuclear warheads on Gemini's location when we finally find out his location."

"Do not tell me if I feel the same shit or not. Don't you dare." Wade's pre-pubescent voice took a low tone that was very unsettling. Then he breathed slowly and looked at Ron dead in the eyes. "But we don't... We can't become killers."

"I... know that."

"Just keep it in mind in Gotham... That's a majorly... depressing city. Used to have the highest crime rate in America."

"What happened?"

Wade scoffed. "If you are to believe propaganda, GCPD stepping up and starting to clean the streets. If you have at least the smallest bit of reason, you'd know that rumors and unconfirmed sightings of the infamous Batman have been around for the last three years. Coincidentally, that's when the crime rate started dropping and mob bosses started turning up in police custody."

Ron whistled. "I kinda believed he was a bit of an urban myth really. What with the whole clown as enemy bit... So any info on Lynn?"

Wade turned to the screens, typed in a few things and pointed to the big screen in the middle of the cellar. Ron saw three names on the screen.

"Those are the three fences who deal in high value goods in Gotham. What I could find about the Cat indicated that she dealt in such stuff. If anyone knows how to find the Cat or her associates, it would be these fences."

Ron groaned. "More detective work." He stood up. "Give me a printout on those names and their locations and I'll be on my way."

Wade had the info printed and handed it to Ron. "As I said, be careful there."

"Gotcha. Majorly depressing city, and all that."

"And they are very partial to guns, so there you go."

"What's the worst- Oh my God, I'm jinxing myself now."

He left after repacking his backpack.

* * *

Kim was staring at herself, a slightly younger version. She remembered this one. Her braces were getting removed, finally. About two months before this, towards the end of middle school, in one of the most embarrassing moments of her life, her braces were locked with Walter Nelson's.

To this day, Kim didn't know what possessed her to try to kiss that boy.

"Why are you showing me this?"

The voice was again bodiless. ** This is a crucial moment. You have pursued acceptance from your peers like every child does, but before this moment, they had all been within any child's behaviour. **

**You pursued a spot on cheerleading team, helped with school activities you liked, did the odd babysitting and the likes for others. You went on some of your first missions. But your ego had not exploded yet.**

The braces removed, scene changed to one of her mother brushing Kim's now freed hair. Then she was quickly shown the few missions she and Ron performed that summer. Last scene was of the first day of high school.

_"Okay girls, let's get to the senior cheer leaders team before Tin-Teeth shows up." A petite Bonnie was bossing around equally petite forms of Tara and Hope._

_The younger Kim burst in on her parade. "Yes, let's do that."_

_"Who the he- whaaat?" Bonnie's jaw dropped. The high school freshman Kim Possible was a vastly different one than the middle school version. No braces, a voluminous hair that was let down and taller frame._

_"Hello Bonnie. Didn't know you were so eager to get started on cheer leading, without me." _

_Ron, who was trailing behind Kim, touched her shoulder. "KP, thought we were gonna pick the classes?"_

_"You go ahead Ron, I'll get my own list done later."_

_Ron looked a bit lost, but shrugged. "Oh well... Have fun. Let's go Rufus!" _

The present day Kim watched the scene with a slightly falling feeling in her chest.

**That was the very breaking point in your path. Instead of going to the admissions and taking classes together, like you had promised, you sent him alone and chose to pursue competing with the brunette. This was the first moment where you actively chose popularity above friendship.**

Kim stood, wordless, as she realized the truth. What the voice was telling her, it was true.

**From here on out, it's one big slide up the food chain and down the morality lane. You kept taking on more and more activities in school, sometimes to the very exclusion of Ron. You started ignoring your family. Your little brothers who were very fond of you started acting out. Meanwhile, your popularity kept growing, in and outside the school.**

**But let's not stick to this one track. Do you want me to show you your one secret, dirty and absolutely disgusting desire? Do you want to face your own darkness?**

Kim vehemently shook her head. She was having trouble processing all of this, but the voice was relentless.

**Too bad. You will see it. Look and behold. I said LOOK!**

Her head snapped up and eyes open as the voice commanded. But Kim wished she died instead of seeing what she was forced to look at.

Just a few feet away, a frozen image was presented. There was a replica of her, in mission clothes. The mouth of the replica was set in a grim smile of satisfaction while she looked down at what was below her right foot. There laid a beaten, broken and unmasked Flash. His arms were all bent at wrong angles, Ron's face was marred by many scars, as was his body. The suit was all in tatters.

Kim gasped and fell on her back as she tried to look away, but couldn't.

**Shocking, isn't it. How can this amazingly incredible girl, seemingly without flaws, hero of the people, actually wants to pummel her friend and crush him? I have to say, I expected sexual desires about inconsequential males or some deep seated homosexuality in the deepest desires you had. Instead, I find this.**

**Secretly, subconsciously wishing the destruction of this one man who would**_** die**_** for you. And for what? All because he takes your **_**rightful**_** place in people's hearts. All because he is a better hero and a better person than you are. **

Kim kept saying 'No' as if reciting a prayer, over and over. The voice ignored her broken record.

**You see, Kimberly, when I said your desires were selfish, I didn't mean that you sought material gain or rewards. What you desire is **_** worship.**_

The scene changed to show her first day in Pre-K. She saw herself confessing her fear of not being able to find any friends to her parents. Then the scene shifted to show her befriending of Ron.

**He saved you from your terror of loneliness. But this first friend was just the fuse that lit your ego. Over the years, it was fed time and again, so much so that you started to look for ways to feed it even more. So much so, that at this point, you'd destroy anything, anyone that comes between you and your worshippers. Even if that is your best friend.**

**How many times, really, honestly, you wanted to help or save someone, just for the sake of it? Do not try to answer me. Keep that answer for yourself. Think hard on it, because you will need it for the next part.**

Kim felt the world dissolving all around her again and she slipped into darkness.

* * *

The teenager in the red hoodie was very visibly out of his comfort zone. The third fence's locale was one of a pawn shop. Being in Old Gotham, it was nothing fancy. In fact, it was poorly lit, dank and depressing, much like the rest of this God forsaken city. For someone who grew up in Middleton, this city was a civic nightmare.

A slightly overweight, yet quick on his feet old man talked dismissively behind the counter.

"Look kid, no one will up and give you any information in this city. I can tell you are not from Gotham, so I have free advice for you. Pack your shit and get the fuck out of this city. No, I'm not being rude. I am trying to spare you the gigantic fuck-up that is Gotham."

Ron seethed from frustration. "It's not like I'm a cop, I just wanna know if anyone can talk to the Cat or his associates."

The man snorted. "You don't even know who you are looking for. The Cat is a woman kid, and a very dangerous one at that. You do not want to get involved, neither with her nor the crowd she tangles with. Besides, she doesn't take calls. She drops by whenever she wants. Now get lost."

"Tch... Well, thanks... I think." Ron pulled his hoodie even further down towards his nose and stepped outside the pawn shop. It was raining, like it had ever since he arrived at the city. It had been six hours and three disappointing conversations. The fences didn't know how to get to Cat, plain and simple.

He took cover beneath a fire escape and called Wade on his watch.

"Wade, the fences are no-go."

_"All three of them?"_

"Yea... I don't think this Cat is the social kind of thief. Oh, and he's a she, apparently."

Wade seemed surprised. _ "Huh... Well, that's what you get for plugging into unverified BlackNet streams Wade."_

"Wha?" Ron didn't get what he was saying.

_"Nothing... Talking to myself... Hmm... I think I have an idea. But it's... sort of a long shot."_

Ron snorted. "It's not like I have four better leads to check on. Hit me."

_"Streaming tv broadcast."_ Wade switched the screen and Ron squinted to see the broadcast on the little screen. The anchorwoman was apparently going over the early evening news.

_"...In local news, local billionaire and philantropist Bruce Wayne celebrates his twenty-eight birthday. February 19th marks the birth of Gotham's most eligible bachelor, and he will celebrate it with the city's foremost VIPs in Gotham Royal Hotel tonight! As we all know, Mister Wayne returned to Gotham three years ago and has been the number one bachelor in the city since..."_

The stream ended and Wade's face reappeared on the screen. Ron didn't understand what Wade had in mind.

"Sooo, Bruce Wayne has a birthday party. What's this have to do with the Cat?"

Wade gave him a half smile. _"With 'foremost VIPs' of the city in the vicinity. Probably in their most expensive clothes... and _jewels. _"_

Ron got it. "Ooooohhh... So basically, we are going to hope for her to show up and pilfer a payday."

_" Told you it was a long shot."_

Ron scratched his chin. "Well, it's the best idea we have."

_"I'm not totally without options. I am running visual checks on the cameras I could access, almost city-wide. Though, even if Lynn shows up, it might take a while to find her exact location. "_

"But that's gonna take time."

_"Yes. So far, media has been pretty tame with the details on the attack on the hospital, and if they think you are dead, like D. did, we have a chance to catch Lynn off guard. But that window is going to close, and soon. Your uncle and my aunt are throwing up a lot of sand in the air trying to find us."_

Ron puffed as he thought about the remaining family he had left behind, without even a message. Wade was right, this would need to end fast.

"Well, I'll tap into GCPD scanner and patrol until I find the Cat or Lynn, if necessary. For now, let's hope your plan works."

_"Gotham Royal Ballroom is where the party is. There is a skylight that overlooks the place that you can use. Uploading coordinates to your watch."_

Ron received the info, checked it and left for the place. He opted not to use too much super speed in the remaining daylight so he walked.

On his way, he passed by a big, rundown building. It looked like it used to be a some sort of theater. Then he heard a car moving away nearby.

He looked around and checked the little alley nearby, as the sound had originated from there. On the ground near a lamp post, a single red rose lay on the ground. He checked nearby, but saw no one.

He grumbled as he left. "This whole city's a one big bag of weirdness."

* * *

_"Oh, anybody could make a high powered signaling system from stuff found in an airport gift shop. No big."_

_"No big, that big flood was just like swim practice."_

_"It was just an itty bitty iceberg. So not the drama."_

_"I did just fly in from Abu Dhabi today. Rescued an ambassador."_

_"What's ten thousand windshield flyers? No big."_

And it went on and on and on. Kim was being treated a marathon of all her 'no big' moments with their rides. After watching a slew of this, Kim had a big realization about herself.

She was a gigantic douchebag. Somewhere along the middle, she had gotten sick of her own voice, not-so-subtly bragging about all the stuff she did in the guise of humility. Hell, she had no idea how Ron put up with this shit all the time. If it was not herself, she could easily say that the girl in those memories deserved a big beatdown.

**Do I even have to narrate this?**

"Not really. Actually, hearing you speak would be a welcome break from the egotistical bitch on the proverbial screen."

**The object of this lesson, and I know this is a big surprise, is your monumental ego. More precisely, your motivations to do the things you do. Because, those two are one and the same.**

Kim was treated to a flurry of images of herself in various missions. Almost invariably, it was her fighting some henchmen, a villain or Shego.

**Now let's watch this all again, and look at things from another angle.**

The exact same sequences played out but this time, Kim was watching Ron while it all went down. He was either drawing fire, deactivating some device, hitting self destruct buttons, creating much needed diversions. Only a few times he needed Kim's help to get out of a bind.

**There are two people in the scene here, that belongs to the same crime fighting outfit. One is a talented fighter with numerous skills and almost genius level IQ... And the other one is an average teen with almost no training, no discernable skills and has a pet that is, at times, more competent than he is.**

**So, you remember that little question I asked you before? Here's another one. Who is the real hero between these two individuals? The answer to this one, and the one from before are closely linked.**

Almost dizzy from the rollercoaster ride that this spirit was stringing her along for, Kim simply stood silent as she thought hard on the issue.

Exactly, when had she helped someone just for the sake of helping them? When was the last time she went into a mission, not focusing on how to beat down the villain but _ actually stop_ whatever mischief they were up to? Who did the less visible but more important part of actually stopping the villains and who got to fight and fight on, sometimes on national television?

When they had first started out, it was a simple thing. Get a hit on the website, get a ride, help the individual in danger or in trouble. After the very first mission with the deactivation of the laser grid, similar hits started appearing on the website. First it was only within Middleton. Then it slowly became statewide.

The missions were more on the side of being a good samaritan at that time. No villains, super or otherwise, had cropped up yet. A few years ago, the world was very unfamiliar with the heroes that was popping up nowadays. She was just an ordinary girl who tried to help out people.

Yet, after meeting Wade and him taking over the website, the reality had shifted slightly over time. The cheer leader with an uncanny ability to almost photo-reflexively copy physical skills had slowly turned into a crime-fighter with heightened physicality and found out she had an almost eerie calmness that she utilized in battle. The nerdy, completely unsocial kid genius had turned into a competent, cool-headed mission commander with unprecedented resourcefulness. Yet, the biggest changes had come over to the third member of the team.

The boy who was afraid of his own shadow, almost literally at times, had first turned into a reluctant sidekick. Ron was never keen on going missions at the start, but he never let Kim go alone either. Over months, he started quipping and trash talking people they fought. While completely without grace, he had started to do what Kim did, like scaling mountains, swimming through deadly currents and many more. Even before the lightning bolt, Ron was a shifting paradigm.

It hit her like a truck. Over time, she gravitated towards missions that involved fighting people. She had literally become a glory seeker. At the same time, Ron had turned into the guy who was content to do all the rest. Post-Camp Wannaweep Ron was fading away, albeit slowly.

She had taken this for granted, not realizing what was going on. Hell, the few times she had dared to venture without Ron had always required him to join in later, even if it was to getting caught himself. Then Rufus would save them both.

The entity was trying to show her something, and after the montage of herself being an obnoxious, haughty bitch, she began to see.

She had started out a reluctant teen hero and turned into a half-baked warrior seeking glory and the next challenge. Ron had started out as a fearful kid and turned into a really brave teen with a big heart.

She whispered slowly as her mind reeled. "Ron's... the real hero in heart... And I'm just a... a thrill seeker."

**You are finally opening your eyes. But we are not done. Not yet. **

**Ponder on what being Kim Possible means to you. Because you will need to understand yourself for the next part.**

* * *

"Three goddamned hours under this weather, watching these high profile big shots from the skylight, and not a single sign of trouble. I think this is a bust." Ron was almost shivering from standing under the freezing rain and wind. He had occasionally vibrated himself to warm himself, but that only went so far. He was standing near a huge skylight on the ceiling of the ballroom of Gotham Royal Hotel.

So far, the party was an almost boring affair. Many people in extravagant dresses and suits had shown up and greeted Bruce Wayne, who seemed dashing in a two piece suit, almost intimidatingly so. Ron had toyed around with the idea of actually greeting the guy and wish him happy birthday, since they kinda had met already. But he had discarded that idea, seeing that he was somewhat of a fugitive for the last three days.

According to Wade, his uncle had filed missing reports. The Middleton police was looking for him everywhere. And in the latest hours, Wade's remaining family had also done the same. Their window on catching this mysterious 'Gemini' was closing.

Ron was not even sure if he wanted to go back to Middleton anymore. Not much was left for him there. Sure, his uncle and aunts were there, but he was effectively an orphan now. His friends, limited as they were, wouldn't miss him much after a few weeks. Kim lay comatose, and he had lost hope on her coming back. And without her, there was nothing keeping him in Middleton. With Tara gone, he didn't think he could face anyone anyway. He felt a pang of guilt as he remembered his quasi-family of Possibles, but they didn't need him around.

No one needed him around. A singular example of total failure. Failure at being a son when his parents needed him most. Failure at being a friend when his best friend needed him most. Failure at being a boyfriend when the girl he loved needed him most. Failure at being a hero when his city needed him most.

_No, no one needs me. _

His musings were broken by the sudden cries from the ballroom down below. From what he could hear, someone's necklace was gone. Pilfered from her very neck.

_Wade strikes gold again._

Ron peered into the ballroom to see if he could spot the thief. Instead, the place got even more chaotic as more people discovered certain items had been liberated from their persons.

Then, a few meters behind him, the roof access door opened. Ron immediately took cover behind a vent cover. From the door, a seemingly innocuous yet gorgeous woman walked out. From what Ron could see in the dim lighting of the city and the full moon, she had long dark hair and a fair complexion.

After walking out, the woman shed the one-piece night dress she was wearing in one move. The grace and quickness of the action slightly captivated Ron, but his logical side was on full alert and quickly noted that this woman was the probable cause of the commotion downstairs. Meaning, he had found the source of information he was looking for.

He slipped from behind the cover and announced his presence. He made sure to pull the hoodie as low as possible.

"Are you the Cat?"

The woman had some sort of dark, skin-tight suit under the dress, which she was in the process of zipping up. As soon as she heard Ron, she turned around immediately and took up a defensive stance. She gave Ron a once-over and relaxed, only a little bit.

"Well well, what's this we have here? A fan, perhaps? Or you are looking to cut into my deal, wanted to work the room yourself? Sorry to burst your bubble, but today was mine. Maybe next time."

Ron took a few steps forward. "I'm not a thief. I just want information."

The Cat fully relaxed and finished zipping up her suit. Then she took gloves from her purse and put them on. She seemed uninterested in Ron's statement.

"I'm not an information broker, nor I do want to waste time talking to some kid in a cheap hoodie, the nights in Gotham are not exactly safe for my kind." She didn't even look at Ron as she scanned the rooftops nearby.

Ron's nerves, grated and worn after all that is gone down, snapped easily. He broke into a dash and jumped on the woman. He caught her right arm and pulled her to look at him. She was more or less the same height as he was, so it wasn't hard to look her in the eyes.

"I want Adrena Lynn's location. Now." His voice had taken a dangerous edge yet again.

Then he thought he heard a slight buzzing. While he tried to hear clearly, the woman brought her left leg up, kicked him in the chin and did a full cartwheel as Ron was knocked down. The earpiece Ron was wearing came to life as Wade spoke.

_"Ron, I'm registering a two-way satellite communication near you. The Cat has an earpiece just like you! Get that, and I'll be able to track Lynn in seconds."_

Ron's eyes narrowed as Cat turned away and made a run for it. She leapt off the roof of the ballroom and caught a fire escape on the neighbouring building. Ron grit his teeth and broke into a slightly faster-than-normal dash.

Cat finished climbing the fire escape and ascended on the roof, only to face the hooded teenager skidding on the ground in front of her.

"Woah. Someone has been drinking their milk." She flexed her gloves and some sort of clawed tips sprung from the fingers of it. "Too bad I'm not in the mood to play."

"Lynn, I know you can hear this. I am coming for you." The hooded teen spoke with a grave tone. Then he dashed at the Cat.

Meanwhile, the frantic voice in Cat's ears had broken into a panicked babbling. Cat sharply admonished her. "Shut up Addie, you'll be fine."

"No, she won't." Cat's eyes grew as the abnormally quick teen had already reached her and now making a move on her ears. She batted away both of the stretched out hands and jumped up to land a kick with both legs on the teen's chest. She sprang off of the kick, flipped in the air and landed with a somersault.

To her surprise, the hooded crazy was already running at her, somehow having recovered from the kick. He engaged Cat in a fist fight involving lightning quick punches and jabs.

Cat barely held her own against the first assault. Her graceful way of dancing around the blows were being shattered as she was being forced to block most of the blows. So far, she had tangled with the infamous Batman twice, and this teenager was _ faster_ than him.

On the flip side, Ron was blatantly cheating his way through this fight. From the onset, it was easy for him to see that his budding fighting skills would not be enough against this woman. Her reflexes were almost as good as Kim, and with better training and more experience, she was overall better than the redheaded teen hero. So he was vibrating his body ever so slightly to give himself a power and speed advantage.

He decided to end this, with a move Kim taught him.

_"If an opponent is too fast for you, you need to slow them down."_

He spoke slowly as he recalled Kim's instructions. "You are good. But I train with someone better." He rained a few more punches and then grinned. "Sorry about this next part."

Cat didn't get it as the hooded teen shot her a somewhat disturbing grin. Then she felt a blinding pain in her right knee. Ron had thrown a low kick at the side of it. Unknown to the thieving woman, the kick that she couldn't see was a slightly supersped one. Ron's move was aimed exactly as Kim had thought him, but instead of the usual effect of simply causing pain and weakness in the leg, this one had bent the knee considerably.

She dropped on the ground as the ligaments in her knee strained and got damaged. The hooded teen was upon her almost immediately, checking both her ears. He plucked out the in-ear device from her right ear and sighed.

"Hope I didn't tore something in that knee, but you kinda forced my hand. Now... Wade, talk to me."

_"Get that earpiece close to the watch. I can run a frequency check that way."_

Ron obeyed the pre-teen's command. The watch beeped a few times as Wade ran his check.

_"I've got the signal locked down. An apartment at Old Gotham. Streaming location."_

Ron dropped the earpiece and stepped on it. Then he dashed off the roof and jumped down. Cat could only stare after the teen as she groaned in pain on the ground.

Half a minute later, something blocked out the lights coming from above and she felt something descending.

A tall figure, cloaked in darkness, approached her and spoke with a gruff voice.

"You're hurt."

Cat wheezed out a sharp laugh. "As if you care. Disappointed that you don't get to dance tonight?"

The figure got closer to reveal a midnight black cape and a mask with two pointy ears. He seemed to be investigating the area. He picked up the crushed earpiece.

"Who did this?"

"Aww, are you going to punish him for me? I didn't know you cared, and only our third date as well. But you know what they say about the third date..." The Cat purred as the caped figure lifted her with a single arm. "So you like your foreplay on the rough side Batman. I hope the follow up is as good as the buildup. I have not had a _ real man_ in months."

"I'm not playing games. Who was it?" The eyes beneath the cowl narrowed as the imposing Batman looked the Cat directly in the eyes.

"Some teenage boy in a red hoodie. The little fucker messed up my knee."

The Batman let the cat burglar crumple to the ground. His voice unaffected, he asked. "What did he want?"

"Wouldn't you like to know? I'm kinda sad that you are more interested in him more than me. You have been trying to catch me for a month. And here I am, all injured... Defenseless... Ready to be taken advantage of..." The Cat's purring was charged with pure sexuality.

The caped vigilante would have none of it. "Tell me what he wanted. You get to slink away to whatever hole you live in for one more day."

The woman puffed. "Have your way then. He wanted Addie's location. That's-"

"Adrian Renalda Lynn. Alias Adrena Lynn. She has been serving as your cyber-lookout for the last month."

The vigilante walked to the edge of the roof and activated a system on a remote he pulled out of his belt. "So he finally arrived here."

The cat burglar was trying to get up when she heard that. "Who's he?"

The Batman threw her a cold look with his head slightly turned sideways. "None of your concern. Next time we meet, I'm taking you down."

"Oh, I'd love if you take me down. Go down. On me. In me."

Batman just jumped off the roof.

"What a big tease. All talk, no action." She looked towards Old Gotham. "I hope Addie gets away in time."

* * *

Adrena Lynn was terrified to her core. Just hours ago, Gemini had called her on an encrypted line to let her know that all contact with Dementor had been broken. Amy Hall was already in a hospital following an intense beating she took. Furthermore, Monty Fiske had apparently erased all his tracks and went underground.

Then, as she was doing her side gig of running computer side of things for Selina, she heard the proclamation through the earpiece.

_Someone _ was coming for her, just like it came for D. and Dementor.

_I knew I never should've teamed up with a bunch of freaks! We didn't even get to kill that little redheaded dipshit._

Then she remembered who had really destroyed her reputation. Ron Stoppable.

"At least that idiot is dead. He took my life's work from me, and I took his." She was stuffing some stuff in a backpack along with her laptop.

A voice, low and terrifyingly close, spoke from behind her. "You did take my life from me... But I'm not dead." Lynn, frozen in fear, felt a breath on her neck. "Not yet."

She tried to spin and kick whoever was behind, but got caught even before she began the move. Two hands grabbed her arms and threw her on the couch nearby. She collided onto it and knocked the couch over.

"I am not dead... But many people are. And they scream for justice. In my dreams, I see their faces, their voices. Do you know what it is like?" The owner of the voice showed himself, standing over Lynn. She could see the non-descript features of one Ron Stoppable under the hood.

"You... you are supposed to be dead!" She tried to get up and fight back.

Ron ignored her exclamation and kicked her in the ribs. She got thrown back and rolled near a chair. "But how would you know? You are nothing but a two bit fraud who showed her true colors as soon as she was exposed. All I did was to show your trick to the world. Show business, not like it's a big deal, right? But no, you had to have revenge."

He took the chair and slammed it on her back, breaking it apart. "Tell me, how is that working out for you? Was killing nineteen people a good exchange for that shitty show of yours I destroyed?"

He left her writhing in pain and moved towards her backpack. He pulled her laptop out and fired it up. Then he plugged in Wade's remote access decrypter. After half a minute, the pre-teen genius showed up on the screen.

"Talk to me Wade. Do we have the encryption codes?"

Wade's face lightened up as he found what he was looking for, and more. _"Better. She was in contact with Gemini hours ago, I'm triangulating a location right now. Ron, you better get outta there."_

Ron slowly turned towards the crawling Lynn. She looked shaken after his last attack.

"Not yet. I have one more order of business here." He walked towards the blonde woman on the ground.

She saw Ron coming for her. She began to whimper as fear took hold of her heart. "Please... I just wanted Kim and you dead! I didn't know about all the others!"

Under the hood, in the darkness of the room, Ron's eyes flashed red. Lynn's eyes grew as the two orbs of red hot fire got closer.

"And that is supposed to make it better?! You and your crew killed my family! Wade's family! All those people at the hospital?! And you didn't know about them!? You wanted Kim dead?!"

He pulled her up and slammed her into the wall. "I WILL BEAT THEIR NAMES INTO YOUR HEAD!"

"I will do anything you want! Just don't do this!" She was crying in fear now. "Please..."

"You didn't care about mercy when you all attacked us! And **neither will I." **Ron's voice distorted as red fire in his eyes started to spread out from the eyeballs and mark the veins around them. Ron's vision swam and gave way to a red haze as he started punching and screaming the names of all who died.

The wall couldn't withstand the blows transferring from Lynn's body and gave way. Adrena Lynn, beaten and broken, was blasted outside the building and fell towards the ground from the fifth floor of the rundown building. Ron was barely aware of a screaming Wade in the background. The red haze had deafened and blinded him to all else.

Without thinking, he jumped after Lynn. He cocked his fist back to pound Lynn as they met the asphalt. His blood was thumping in his ears.

Just as he reached the blonde woman in the air, a dark figure zipped across and snatched her away. Ron met the ground in a reddish explosion. The dust and smoke settled slowly to show the teenager rising from an area of the asphalt, cracked and upheaved.

He turned to see a caped figure setting the unconscious Lynn on the ground. Without thinking, without any semblance of reason, he dashed in pure unadultered rage.

Batman had seen a few strange things both at his time abroad and in Gotham. But this was the first time he was coming face to face with someone radiating power like this. Sure, he had researched the alien in Metropolis, the Lantern that had popped up and this very kid who possessed both a genetic and a magical superpower, but facing it head on was a different matter.

The teen's first blows on him missed as he was telegraphing all his attacks in the murderous rage. Batman danced around the blows and countered a few times. The teen seemed to simply shrug them off.

There was just one saving grace. He was not using his genetic superpower, at all. The caped crusader knew that he stood little to no chance against that kind of speed. Luckily, the teen had lost himself in a sort of berserker rage, almost unconscious himself.

Then it clicked. That was the answer. He had to put him truly under to let his reason swim back to surface.

The hood flew off of Ron's face as Batman threw him over his shoulder. He landed in all fours, his pose reminiscent of a wild animal. The vigilante saw that the red energy emanating from Ron's eyes had turned his face into a crossword puzzle and was now spreading down his neck. Ron raised his head and screamed. What came out was the screech of a wild, maddened monkey.

Ron rushed at the vigilante on all fours, completely imitating a monkey. Batman attached a miniature gas mask on his mouth and nose. Then, as Ron reached him, he peppered the ground nearby in small pellets which broke into a purplish gas.

Ron screamed and thrashed within the gas, but then fell silent and landed on the ground, completely unconscious.

* * *

_"I need pants! As in fashion. As in NOT Smarty Mart."_

_"Dad, I'm a cheer leader. We don't DO detention!"_

_"_ Other _kids, ones who break the rules."_

_"You don't know what it's like in there. It's a meeting of the lifetime losers club."_

_"Bonnie knows about Pandaroo. Hope is lost."_

_"If I don't stay on top of my parents, I'll never be able to show my face in school again! I'm in humiliation nation!"_

_"It's a good thing fashion sense is not genetic. My jacket is from last season, it's red!"_

Kim was now being treated to all the times her social anxiety and image consciousness caught up to her. She couldn't deny being concerned with her image and social status, but what teenage girl wasn't?

**And that's why I called your fears childish. Aren't you **_** the Kim Possible?**_** How is it that a girl fights crime and mad scientists on a weekly basis can be this concerned with trivial things?**

"I never claimed to be a perfect person. I never claimed to be anything more than an average girl."

**Did you mean it?**

Kim's retort died down as she was effectively shot down. Did she mean it? Ever since she was little, no challenge she undertook had been insurmountable. She rarely failed at anything twice, if at all. She worked hard to keep up with so many tasks and activities, but never she had been pushed real hard at one single aspect. Did she think she was just a basic, average girl?

"I knew I was talented, but come on, one rocket scientist and one brain surgeon as parents, I thought it was a given with genetics like that."

**So you do claim to be more than just an average girl?**

Silence followed. Then the voice spoke again. It was almost... pleased.

**Good. Because you are not. You are nowhere near neither basic nor average. And that is exactly why childish fears like that are beneath you. Understand this Kimberly, I would be done with you the moment I realized those fears, if not for one ray of hope.**

Ron's likeness popped into existence in front of her.

**You use him, you ridicule him but after all is said and done, you really care for him. You are not so bathed in your ego that you discarded him in favor of someone else. Such loyalty has its own rewards. **

**So I'm showing you why you should not the least bit concerned about trivial, fleeting things. You must move on from them, if you are to achieve your full potential.**

**But there is something else.**

**Something you fear, that is buried beneath all those others. Something you can't face, you can't accept.**

Kim was treated to an image of herself fighting various criminals. The images were focused on her face however. Every other time, when she pummeled someone, there was this satisfied expression on her face.

**You like challenges, you like fighting. That is true. You know this. You take pride in it. Yet..**

**Time and again, when you defeated someone, it felt good to physically hurt them. Time and again, you thought that ending them, once and for all, would solve all the problems. You thought that Kimberly, you faced the darker side of your soul.**

**And you are afraid. Afraid that you even think these things.**

**Afraid that... your best friend might take after you.**

Out of the darkness, a roar was heard and Ron pierced through it with blinding speed. Kim saw how his eyes were blue and he was leaking blue flames all over, just like the time when he first got exposed to the Mystical Monkey Powers of the Jade Monkeys. The specter of Ron dissolved as it hit Kim.

**His desires to protect, purer than yours, overridden his inhibitions once. Only by your intervention he got his control back. Yet, you secretly agreed with him. You wanted Monty Fiske dead as much as he did. **

**You faced this side of yourself once, and ran away from it. Yet a true warrior cannot be just one side of a coin. You are unworthy as long as you don't accept all your fears, all your desires and all your feelings.**

Kim was fed up with being deconstructed. Everything this spirit showed him hurt her. She knew it hurt that much because all of it were true.

"Unworthy of what?! Look, I see now... I might not have been making the right choices, I might have been limiting myself with stupid fears, I might have acted as an egotistical bitch all along, but that doesn't answer why you are here!"

The voice sounded amused. **Why am I here? **

**Why Kimberly, I am testing you to see one fact. If you are worthy of your latest and strongest desire.**

**Power.**

**Power you so crave to help your friend, or stand above him once again. Power you so crave to stop any threat to humanity or destroy them all together. Power, you so crave, to be a worthy hero or become a goddess to them.**

**The line between those extremes are thin, and you veer on that line. Should you make the wrong choices, such power would corrupt you beyond all reason. Should you make the right choice, however...**

**Well...**

**We will see.**

The darkness, finally, after such a long time, dissolved around Kim. All that was left was a white expanse. The remaining darkness swirled and then covered Kim from head to toe.

**Here's your final exam, Kimberly. To see if you learnt anything from this.**

**Out in the real world, there is a man. He is tortured by grief, almost corrupted by his rage, devoid of all hope, save one. He is...**

**Unstoppable, you might say. Only you, and you alone can stop him.**

**I will be watching.**

Kim's eyes opened suddenly and she took a sharp breath.

* * *

Ron's eyes opened suddenly and he took a sharp breath. He shot straight up on his feet, only to fall on to his knees when a wave of weakness hit him. He kept taking deep breaths to steady himself. He was apparently outside and on a roof.

"Have you come back to your senses now?" A deep, gruff and authoritative voice spoke nearby.

Ron, still breathing heavily, looked around to see a figure of a cloaked man standing in the shadow of the roof's access door. Then the man took a few steps forward, revealing the form in pale moonlight.

It was Batman. Ron had always thought he was some sort of an urban myth. Or just some crazy guy in a spooky suit.

For one thing, the suit was more intimidating than spooky. From what he could see, it was a suit ladened with Kevlar plating and various moving parts all around. There was also a prominent belt, riddled with various pouches. The cloak itself seemed to be made of some special fabric. The cowl with the two pointy bat-themed ears was just an added bonus to the ensemble.

"You!... You're... Batman!" Ron tried to stand up to get a better look.

"And you are Ronald Stoppable, long way from his home."

Ron looked around. His mind was almost fractured in his latest memories. "What... How did we even meet? I don't remember a thing after I... attacked Adrena Lynn..." He slowly let loose his breath. "What the hell happened?"

"You lost control. Broke three of her ribs, dislocated and torn ligaments in both of her shoulders, inflicted blunt force trauma on her chest, stomach and face, broke her nasal cartilage and finally threw her out of a glass window to a fall five stories high."

Ron's eyes grew as he tried to recall all that. "I just... I only remember a red mist... And being very angry... Hell, I was just going to have her realize how many people she helped killing!"

The caped vigilante stood in front of Ron's shaking form and offered no sympathy. "Yet, if I didn't take her away from you and knocked you out, you would probably turn her insides out on the pavement."

Ron's voice croaked as he looked into the eyes behind the cowl. They were an icy, unfeeling blue in color. "Wha- How?!"

"I would ask you what you are doing in my city, _ Flash_, if I already didn't know."

Ron tried to scramble to his feet again, partially successful as he steadied himself by holding onto a chimney nearby. "How... How do you know that... I'm... Holy shit man."

"It's my business to know these things." The man, now revealed to be a lot taller than the blonde teenager, towered above Ron as he looked up in the eyes of the man. "Just as I know that you have been carving out a trail of vengeance across the globe. I knew it was a matter of time before you came for Lynn, but I didn't expect you to be this fast."

Ron shook and looked ready to collapse. The gloved hand of the older male caught him and helped him sit on a nearby vent cover.

"I shouldn't be surprised. Being fast is your modus operandi. However..." Batman stood a few feet away and looked in Ron's eyes. "Mercilessly beating down criminals, whether they are in police custody or in their own suburban complex, is not your M.O. either."

Ron shook his head as he tried to overcome the weakness that had gripped him. "I... I don't... I just want justice!" His voice was strained as confusion and pain seeped through his soul.

"Killing the people who attacked your hometown would be vengeance. Not justice."

Ron's anger began to resurface. "They... They killed them! Attacked a hospital! Killed my family! My...my..." His fist struck the metal vent cover he was sitting on. "I lost everything! All I have left is this! Would it be so bad to make them taste their own medicine?!"

"Not for them. Death is an escape for people like that. Their lives aren't worth much. But you..." The Batman's voice made Ron look at him. "Your life must be worth more than that. Killing them would hurt you. Make you cross a line someone of your power shouldn't cross."

"Someone of my power?! Get real man, I'm not a hero! I'm not even a good sidekick! I am just some stupid kid who got struck by lightning and thought he could help people! Turns out that all I can do is to get people killed! So who cares if I bring justice for those who died?! I am not planning on to kill anyone, but what else is there?!"

Batman stood calm as the teenager in front of him slowly bristled with anger again. "You have a responsibility to your friends, your city. You chose to be the Flash, now you need to uphold the ideal you created."

Ron's anger and grief fueled his resolve as he stood up. "There is no more Flash! He was a lie! Some stupid boy's dream! I can at least do this as Ron Stoppable, end this all and let people remember Flash in a good light."

"If you do it this way, all people remember will be how the Flash quit."

Ron's eyes burned as tears bristled in them, but refused to get out. "Who cares?! No one is left, nothing is left for me to go back!"

"So you would leave _ her _ all alone?" Batman's tone turned colder as he inquired.

Ron's voice turned equally icy and dropped an octave. "Don't... Don't bring her into this. Even if she woke up... She's better off without me around... I've lost everything, I won't lose her as well. If it's the last thing I will do, everyone will know what happens when they try to hurt her again."

"You still have much to lose. Not just Kim Possible either."

Ron's eyes flashed red, just for a tiny instant. "What do you know about loss?! Did your entire life got destroyed in an instant?!" Ron got the uneasy feeling of weakness hit him afterwards this last outburst.

Batman stood motionless and silent for a while. Then he pointed to Ron's face. "Whatever power you lost control of, it's destroying you. Your life signs have been erratic this whole conversation. I've checked your vitals while you were knocked out. Your healing factor can't handle whatever that is going on within you. You can't go on like this."

Ron wobbled slightly as he moved and took his backpack from the ground nearby. He took an energy bar, unwrapped it and started eating.

"I don't need to go on much longer. I'll finish this tonight." He finished the energy bar and walked to the edge of the roof. He fastened the hood and zipped his hoodie tight.

The man in the cape and cowl spoke with silent certainty. "There is always a choice to make. A decision to define you. Make the right one."

Ron turned to Batman. "For whatever it's worth... I'm sorry about causing you trouble..." He looked away and then back to Batman. But the caped crusader was already gone. Ron sighed. "You seem like a cool guy... I think.."

The teenager blasted off from the roof, blurring into the darkness of Gotham.

Meanwhile, on the adjacent roof, cloaked in the shadows of the buildings, Batman had a device in his hand. It beeped and showed a fast moving blip on the map of Gotham.

* * *

Anne hurried into Kim's hospital room. Her steps had a new spring to them, as she felt like the metaphorical long night was finally lifting.

She entered the room to see a nurse trying to keep Kim from getting up.

"You have come out of a five weeks long coma, you need to stay in bed Miss Possible!"

"I've been sleeping and staying in bed for those five weeks, so I ferociously need to get up! Besides, it'd be a lot better to get out of this Nazi Germany like information blackout."

Kim looked just a little bit thinner than she usually did. Her features were otherwise pristine and Anne felt her eyes getting moist as her firstborn had come back to them. Kim's face brightened as soon as she saw her mother.

"Mom! Thank God! Tell her I'm fine please? In fact, I gotta get up and do something." She was surprised her mother crushed her in a bear hug. Kim felt her chest getting constricted as Anne kept on the hug. "Mom... Oxygen!"

Anne released her and wiped her eyes. "Sorry Kimmie... I missed you so much. We all did."

Kim looked at her mother, recalling the younger image of Anne. "Mom... We gotta have a talk. A ferociously long one, but why is nobody telling me anything?! Why am I at Upperton Central instead of Middleton Memorial? Why are the doctors and the nurses refuse to talk at all? And for God's sake, why was Wade's home number was disconnected and no one picked up when I called Ron's house? Hell, where is Ron?"

Anne sighed and pulled a chair near the bed. "Kim, something happened while you were... under. It's... hard to explain."

Kim looked antsy. "Well, I appreciate any info at the moment. People are acting like someone died."

A very uncomfortable, very disturbing and very scary silence followed. Kim saw the edges of her mother's eyes get moist. Anne's hand that was resting on Kim's started shaking just a little bit.

Kim's eyes slowly grew as the silence stretched. "Oh...my God... Someone actually died?"

Anne could only nod as she tried to collect her thoughts.

Kim slightly panicked. "Is.. Is it... Dad?! The tweebs?!" After seeing her mother shake her head, her voice croaked. "It is... Ron is not..."

"No, sweety, he is alive... But..." Anne forced herself to take a deep breath. "I should explain from the beginning. But... Let me finish explaining before asking anything else."

Anne started talking as Kim nodded.

"After you were brought to Middleton, Ron sort of threw himself into everything you normally did. The missions, the school activities... His _special _ extracurricular activity... On top of that, he and Wade were trying to come up with an explanation to your condition."

"Global Justice and its director kept your condition a secret. They kept the media at bay for a while. We thought it'd be all safe. However, the knowledge finally got out. Just as it was beginning to surface in the media that you were in a coma... Well..."

"On Valentine's Day, someone lured Ron into the Science Center and forced him to fight someone with ice powers, while it was being broadcasted onto every available screen in Tri City area. Then, as all the law enforcement was distracted, a bomb went off in the ER of the hospital."

Anne stopped and took a deep breath. She was remembering the coworkers that had died. " Fourteen people died in the blast. Power was cut. I was with..." Anne took hold of Kim's hand and squeezed it. "Honey, I was with Tara at the time. Your teammate."

"And Ron's girlfriend.. Yes... Mom, what happened?!" The slight panic in Kim's gut started to rise in volume.

"I left the room to check out what was happening with the explosion. Some sort of hideous monkey / human hybrids were coming in through the windows and the ruined ER into the hospital. A few paramilitary types with a man at their head followed."

"So I came back, took you and brought you the supply closet on that floor. Tara refused to leave you alone, so I locked her in with you."

Kim's panic turned into dread as the story progressed. _ No... No...Can't be._

"I tried to stop them, but got thrown out of the window. Kimmie, they were coming for you. Tara was your last line of defense."

_No... No...No no no... _

"By that time, Ron was frozen in an ice block. Somehow he got free and made a direct run to the hospital. He saved every survivor in the hospital as he passed and put the mutant hybrids out of commission. He arrived at your floor just... a few seconds late."

"I heard him scream, like the rest of the staff. I found him holding Tara, with you nearby on the ground."

_No. No. NO!_

"She... took the bullets meant for you..."

"NO!" Kim's outburst caught Anne by surprise, but she held on.

"Kimmie... That's not all..."

Kim could only croak out the word. "Wh- What?"

"I pulled Ron, put his mask back on and hid him in my office before the paramedics and the police showed up. Not long after, first call came in... Someone planted a bomb at Wade's house... They brought him here, but we had to send him to Upperton Central as equipment was damaged in the ER."

Anne sighed slowly. "Wade's parents died in the blast. He got away with soft tissue injuries but didn't wake up for the next three days. But..."

"Oh my God... Oh my God... There is more?"

Tears threatened to fall from Anne's eyes. "The car that... An-Andrea and John's car was found flipped on the way to suburban area. They... Someone... Oh dear..."

Kim heard the next part from within a haze of numbness. "Someone...broke their necks as they tried to get away from the car... Ron heard me speak to your father on the phone..."

Kim realized she was crying now. "Who... Who...Who did all this?!"

Anne shook her head slowly. "Police only caught Amy Hall. She was knocked out by Flash... by Ron when he arrived at the hospital. Rest is... Kim, this next part is important, so stay with me."

"Funerals were held over during the course of the next two days. Ron was... Out of it. Then he disappeared... After his parents' funeral. He simply vanished." Anne took another deep breath. "Same night, someone broke into Middleton PD central and almost beat Amy Hall to death. She is... still being kept under."

"A day later, Wade woke up, but in the night, he went missing as well. Both Ron and Wade are off the grid. Neither the police nor Global Justice can find them. They think those two are waging a personal war against the man responsible for the attack."

Anne's cellphone started ringing. She first rejected the call, but it rang again.

"Dr. Anne Possible speaking."

A tired and young voice responded. _ "Uh... Mrs. Possible, please put me on speaker."_

"Wade! Oh my God, we were all- I'm putting it on." Anne did so, and Wade's voice rang in the room.

_"Kim, I can't tell you how relieved I am to hear you woke up."_

Kim jumped at the sound of his voice. "God, Wade... I am... I am so, so sorry."

A miniature silence followed, but Wade broke it. _"I.. Thanks... But Kim, I actually need your help. Badly. I... might have made a big mistake."_

"Don't worry about it, just tell me where you are and I'll get you."

_"Forget where I am... Open channel six on the TV in that room."_

Anne stood up and did so. Channel Six was apparently on news hour.

_"... In a shocking turn of events, one of the suspected culprits of the Valentine's Day attacks, former TV reality star Adrena Lynn has been found beaten in Gotham City earlier this evening. GCPD refused to comment, but we learnt that Miss Lynn is in critical condition, having sustained several life threatening injuries..."_

Wade's voice rang through the phone again. Anne and Kim was watching the TV with abject horror.

_"Kim, Ron got to Dementor after D. N. Amy. He infiltrated his German villa-compound and let me insert my programs in there. I found the transmission frequencies we needed to get to the man responsible while Ron... He sort of brutally pounded Dementor. I saw it through the monitor I had in that room active. He seemed awfully strong and powerful, without any usage of super speed. He almost lost it, and only by screaming loudly I got to him. He was about to kill Dementor."_

The memory of the voice in her subconscious rose.

_**Out in the real world, there is a man. He is tortured by grief, almost corrupted by his rage, devoid of all hope, save one. **_

"My God..."

Wade continued on. _ "Then he went to get Lynn in Gotham. He tangled with a thief Lynn was working for, then got to her apartment. He hooked my decryption drive to her laptop, then... Kim, I think he completely lost it. If I didn't see it wrong, his eyes were a dark red fire, _ literally burning _ off his eyeballs and almost his face. He threw her out a window and jumped after."_

"He is accessing those monkey powers again... Wade, he can't control those!"

_"He turned on the watch after like, an hour, told me Lynn would live and asked for the location of Gemini. That is the man that organized the attack."_

"But... You didn't know...?"

_"Kim, Lynn is beaten within an inch of her life. I thought for sure that Ron would kill her. I have no idea what happened next. How he stopped himself from killing her."_

_"Kim, he has been getting less sleep all month, ever since your coma, and the last four nights, the only eight hours he had was when he was with me last night. He thrashed and saw nightmares all night. He hasn't eaten anything but energy bars to keep himself going. His glucose levels must be dangerously low. "_

_"He is tired, battered, underfed, sleepless and in immeasurable emotional pain. He is numb while he is awake, but he kept crying the whole night. His judgement is impaired. I want justice as much as he does... I thought of killing responsible people as much as he did... But I don't want to see him become a murderer."_

"Where is he?! I need to get to him!"

_**He is... Unstoppable, you might say. Only you, and you alone can stop him.**_

Wade's voice quaked_. "I... don't know... He turned off the watch and took out its battery."_

Kim scrambled to find a solution. "The chip? What about the tracker chip?!"

_"He... dug it out of his arm. Kim... He knew it was there the whole time... I don't think he intends to survive this, let alone come back..."_

Kim was shocked into silence. She couldn't fathom how Ron must be feeling right then.

_"There is one more thing. This playback activated itself as soon as the signal from his chip went dead."_

Wade started to stream an audio playback. Kim jumped as she heard Ron's voice.

_"Phoebus Protocol. Code Theta. Prime Directive: Stopping the Mystical Powers. After extensive deliberation, it is clear to me that the so called Mystical Monkey Power is magical in nature. While the evidence is thin and limited, it most assuredly reacts to the user's emotional state. One possible reason to why someone willing and more suitable to the power like Monty Fiske could lose to an unwilling user like myself. The difference was in the emotional element."_

_"At this emotionally heightened state, I was not aware of all my bearings, nor the happenings around. The only outside stimulus to actually reach through was one Kim Possible's cries for me to stop. Hence, it is plausible to conclude that the only way to stop me, in other words, Ron Stoppable, to actually have someone of great personal importance to plead to him."_

_"It is naiveté to think that the powers are gone after the destruction of the Jade idols. Even in my un-augmented brain state, I became aware of the Monkey Kung Fu ingrained into myself. Now, during this heightened intelligence state, I can acutely locate the instances it subconsciously activated. One notable example is when the final attack on the alien Atrocitus was launched. Without a doubt, the power is still inside, dormant and waiting to react as soon as strong emotional stimuli occur."_

_"The subject's, I mean my normal state's acute phobia of monkeys prevent the full realization of this power. Furthermore, the trauma left behind by the power surge at the time has effectively scared him -me- off. He will be unwilling to realize it."_

_"However, there is one side to this power that is extremely dangerous in essence. At the time of Monty Fiske's first act of evil, subject's thoughts were entirely of protecting those he loved, the hope that he had to protect them. Inhibitions were lowered even then. In theory, it is possible that a traumatic enough event will drive me to despair or rage. At such a case, it'll be necessary to stop me."_

_"Your preferred tactic must be to exploit his personal weakness. Ron Stoppable is decidedly unable to rationally react in situations where his friends and family are threatened, or situations where he is forced to face them. At such a time, direct intervention by the parents, any possible romantic partners or Kim herself remains the only effective way of reaching his rational mind. Hope you never have to listen to this Wade, but let's be realistic, I will fuck up somewhere along the way. Phoebus Protocol. Code Theta. Transmission end."_

One decidedly could drop a pin and hear its tingling on the ground in the following minute.

"He... He planned for this?!"

_"And some other stuff. But forget that. Only you can stop him now! And you need to move Kim, he is intent on ending this tonight."_

Kim pushed off the covers and then jumped on her feet. Something weird happened.

She jumped halfway across the room and landed sideways on the wall. Then she crumpled on the ground.

"What the hell..."

Anne took her arm and helped her up. "Kimmie... Did you-"

Kim shot a grave look at her mother. "Later Mom. But believe me, I've more than few questions myself for you." She looked around for clothes. Then she turned to her mother. "No clothes?"

"They are all back at home."

Kim turned to the still active phone. "Get me a ride to pick me up from home in half an hour, at most."

_"The ride is already set. She will pick you up as soon as you are ready."_

Kim thanked Wade and turned to her mother. "Let's go."

* * *

Ronald Stoppable sped along the outskirts of Gotham and into Maine. He had Wade's coordinates punched in a GPS-augmented digital map he had bought earlier. Apparently, this Gemini's lair was somewhere in North Atlantic, directly in the ocean somewhere.

Normally, an assault on such a place would require severe preparation and teamwork. But Ron was far from normal. He could run on water and somewhat simulate super speed in it as well. He was not overly concerned about that.

Real problem was his body. He had been running from Gotham non-stop. He had been going at his full speed, Mach 3, for some time before his body started screaming. He had slowed down somewhere in Utah, he guessed. It was not just the energy drain of his overcharged metabolism either. It'd be easy to replenish if it was.

Batman was right. The Dark Knight had correctly guessed what was going on. For the last three days, he had been getting weaker with every encounter. He was constantly angry and he was losing it in the fights. Ron knew what this was. Mystical Monkey Power was back. Actually, he knew it was never gone. It had been dormant inside him since the fateful day. He would not last long at this rate.

Not that he needed a long time. He was going to finish this, one way or the other. He just needed to push himself to his limits. After that, it didn't matter.

He faltered while running. With all the momentum he had while running at a Mach 1 speed, he rolled on the ground for a good hundred meters. He finally came to stop on the dusty ground. He realized this was a forest he was in. No other light but moon and stars were around.

He was hurting all over, inside and outside. He was so tired. The air was cold at night at the desert, coupled with the season's own chill. His eyelids lost the battle and closed slowly.

Ron Stoppable slipped into a comforting darkness.

At the same time, two states over in Middleton, Colorado, Kim Possible rushed into her house. She only hugged her father for a second before running to her room. Problem was that she literally crashed through the ceiling while ascending there.

The small jump to get on the stairs leading to her room had turned into something just short of a Jedi Force Leap, causing her to barrel through the ceiling and into her room. Thankfully, tweebs were asleep. Something was up with herself, some sort of power was unlocked. She had no time to deal with it now though.

She dressed up in record time and turned to leave. She was greeted to a most peculiar and somewhat disturbing sign.

Rufus was on the floor of her room. Strange part was that he was leaking some sort of green energy and looked to be in very bad shape. The naked mole rat was just a tiny bit skinnier and looked almost ill. As soon as Kim picked him up and brought him forth to near her face, the energy turned blue.

Kim realized what this was. Rufus was connected to Ron. He was feeling the same pain his owner was in. The mystical monkey power worked through both of them. Rufus weakly chittered and rubbed her cheek, as if pleading something.

Kim knew. "Don't worry Rufus. We are going to get him back now. You just rest until we get there." Rufus sighed with contentment and let himself be put in Kim's pocket. The crime fighting cheerleader heard some huge engine working outside her house before it stopped. She rushed outside the house to see a Global Justice hoverjet that had landed on the asphalt.

It was much too loud for this hour at night, but she hardly cared. The ramp of the hoverjet lowered itself to reveal the face of Dr. Director. She had a grim look on her face. Kim wordlessly jumped on the ramp and walked inside. She turned to look her parents.

"Be careful Kimmie-cub. You just woke up. Take care of yourself." James Possible was understandably worried and looked as if he wanted to stop Kim from leaving.

Anne just had a small smile on her face. "Go get Ron back. He needs you more than ever."

Kim nodded as the ramp closed back up. She walked to the cockpit with Director. It was a two seater model hoverjet and she took the passenger seat.

"Thanks for the ride. I know it's a bad hour to be calling but.."

Director shook her head while activating the engines and preparing to take off. The hoverjet vertically ascended first as they left the street below.

"At this point, it's my duty to do this."

The hoverjet stabilized and then began to transverse laterally as Director switched the engines.

"Why are you here yourself though? You could just send an agent?"

Director sighed. "This is the fastest hoverjet we have. And I... need to be along for this ride. To make up for my earlier mistakes."

Kim was perplexed. "What... do you mean?"

"The man behind the attack on Middleton and you... is my twin. He's obsessed with thwarting Global Justice, and me. By extending full GJ protection on the city and you... I effectively brought him down on here."

Kim just absorbed the information. "I... It's not your fault that your brother is.. well..."

Director's face scrunched up. " A murdering slimy bastard. I know. But it was my responsibility to stop him. And I failed." She brought up a small screen in front of Kim and activated a stream of data. "He leads a shadow organization called Worldwide Evil Empire."

"Seriously? That is the name?"

"... Yes. Sheldon -that is Gemini- is unhinged. His organization was a minor annoyance to GJ resources until recent months. His funding increased, his employed talent got better. I was dealing with his incursions at the time of the attack. He pulled one over me. All to destroy you."

"But he failed."

Director grimly shook her head. "I had directly requested direct oversight on Tri-City area from US government. The objective of the attack might have failed, but the overall effect was a success. You might not know, but there is a government sanctioned organization in United States. They are pushing to take GJ out of the equation."

"ARGUS?"

Director sharply looked at Kim. "How do you... No matter. But yes. I think Amanda Waller is going to use this whole shit to her advantage. I might not be able to protect you and Ronald any longer. So I need to set this right."

She checked the course in the navcom. "Three hours out the coordinates."

* * *

_"I don't want to go." A short, blonde kid hung onto his mother's shirt._

_"But you won't get to have any fun if you don't Ronnie." _

_"I've seen other kids at daycare! Those were savages, I tell you, savages!"_

_Andrea smiled. Ronnie was extremely brilliant for his age, but also very socially withdrawn._

_"You are in pre school now sweetie. If you be a good boy, you will get many friends."_

_"Really Mom?"_

_"Yes, really. In fact, be a very good boy, and you might even get a best friend!"_

_"Better than Rufus?" The boy referenced his imaginary friend. Whom he knew was imaginary._

_"Much better than Rufus." _

_Ron let himself be put on his feet. He looked to his mother and turned around to walk to preschool. He tripped though._

_His mother rushed and checked him over. "It's okay Ronnie. Nothing happened. You are okay."_

_"Get up now."_

Ron suddenly found himself on the same pavement of preschool, in his present time body. His mother was holding his hand.

"Come on honey. It's time to get up." She pulled him up.

Ron's eyes opened and felt himself being pulled forward. He was shivering from the cold. He realized he was very close to hypothermia. He looked at his right hand, still extended forward.

_Something_ had pulled him up and forward. No one was around though. He slowly got up and realized he was very hungry. It must've been some time. The night was deeper and the moon had somewhat changed its position. He opened his backpack and looked at the last of his energy bars. He devoured them and drank the last bottled water he had as well.

Then he ran. He had found the last of his reserve strength.

_This ends tonight._

His trail scorched across the forested area, then the coastline of Maine. He finally made it to the ocean and kept going. He was keeping track of the coordinates and his own position from the GPS-supported map he had.

A few minutes out the ocean, he felt something. Something odd, a familiar feeling had hit him. He shook it off and kept running.

Rufus had peeked out of Kim's pocket and was looking outside the cockpit windows. He was faintly glowing with blue energy. He looked agitated.

Kim tried to see what was going on, but she heard it than see it clearly. Something, something faster than the GJ hoverjet passed them by on the ocean and she heard the sonic boom afterwards. There was a trail of foam on the ocean, rapidly dissolving.

"How much left to the coordinates?"

Director checked her navcom. "Around twenty minutes... Why?"

Kim took Rufus in her hands and looked sadly at the little guy. "I think Ron's going to be there before us."

Ron arrived at the coordinates. As expected, nothing was visible on the surface of the water. The moon was almost down the horizon line, darkening the final hours of the night further. He let himself go out of super speed and sank into water. Without any forethought, he dove inside and swam with superspeeded arms. His circular motions with his arms created a makeshift water propeller to push him further in.

Amongst the darkness of the sea, only one outline he could see was in front of him. A structure shrouded in darkness, yet had a few lights blinking around, possibly from observation windows. He quickly swam near one of them and traced his path to a hatch nearby.

He turned the handle on the hatch, and it took some effort. Luckily, the structure was not submerged very far into the water, so the pressure was light-ish. After opening the hatch, he swam inside and closed it. The chamber he was in filled with water, but then automated systems cleared it.

On the surface of the water, a dark craft was floating on. The caped figure sitting inside it opened the cockpit, put on a rebreather and dove inside after watching Ron do the same.

Ron took his backpack off and went through its contents. The pack itself was mostly ruined with seawater but the missions supplies were mostly okay. He had kept the electronic lock breaking comb and the EMP generator in an airtight bag. The night vision glasses seemed okay as well. The other supplies were ruined.

He took what he could salvage and threw the bag away. The chamber's inner door to the underwater structure opened suddenly.

"Halt! Keep your hands in the air intruder!" Three guards ran inside and surrounded him. They had purple-white outfits on themselves with Greek characters imprinted on the chest. All three of them had long batons which looked like stunners.

He decided to be blunt. "Where is Gemini?"

"Shut up kid! Boss will ask the questions!" The one that seemed to be in charge activated a communicator on his belt. "We have the intruder detained on Hatch number eight. Transporting to the detainment center commencing." A muffled response rang in his ear. "It's not protocol to transport the detainee to the Command Center." Another response presumably came through. "Oh... Of course, it will be done immediately sir."

He turned to Ron and pointed to the two others to detain the teenager. "Looks like you are lucky. Boss wants to see you right away." The two others moved to hold his arms.

Ron weighed his options. He could escape these three, then go on a search through the entire structure by himself, with no plans or remote backup. Alternatively, his quarry was going to be meeting him by his own volition. It'd mean going into combat on Gemini's terms, but it was worth it.

He let them handcuff him behind his back. Thankfully, they did not search through his pockets which contained the mission gadgets.

He was walked through the halls slowly. Many agents with similar outfits greeted them on the way, all of them peeking at Ron's hooded face. His outfit, wet as a fish, had stuck to his body.

As soon as the hatch and the immediate area cleared up, the electronic alarm mechanism on it beeped and opened by itself. Through the water rushing into the chamber, Batman entered and locked the mechanism back into place. He exited to the hall and activated something in his cowl which turned on the lenses on the mask to turn white.

Ron completed the long walk, with two bigger man holding his arms. He was brought to a large room with monitors and terminals lined up on all the edges, with an observation platform in the middle. On the platform, a large, brusque man was standing.

"I couldn't believe it when someone actually broke in while we are submerged. I am impressed." He gestured to the two guys on either side of Ron. "Take his hood off. Let's see the face of the idiot who dared venture into WEE headquarters."

His hood was violently pulled back. His shaggy hair, still wet with ocean water, stuck to his face, giving his slightly jarred visage an even darker look.

It took Gemini the better part of a minute to identify the young man standing in between his agents. His first reaction was confusion.

"Possible's sidekick? You were... You died in your parents' car... How..?"

Ron acted like he wasn't handcuffed and being held down by two big guys. "I will only ask nicely once. Who murdered my parents?"

Gemini felt the ghost of a chill down his spine. How did this hapless buffoon even find them here? The teenager had a dark look in his eyes, much too determined for his liking.

"You are in no position to demand anything. One way or the other, you'll spill your guts. So do-"

Ron interrupted him again. "You are the one who shot Tara. Who tried to kill Kim."

Gemini started to get angry. He would not stand for insolence in his own headquarters. "Make him talk agents. Harshly."

The two burly man holding Ron's arms moved to make him hit the ground, but then something happened. All of a sudden, Ron was out of the cuffs and hitting both guys' heads at each other with an audible crack. Both men went down like logs.

Everyone in the room stood up alarmed and drew their firearms. Gemini's eyebrows went up. Agents circled Ron and captured him in a complete ring of death. One of the agents that stood back looked at his monitor and called out for Gemini, alarmed.

"Sir! Something is hitting our systems! We are being attacked internally!" The structure groaned. "The station is being raised above water!"

Gemini growled. "There is someone else in the station. Find out where he is now! As for you, Stoppable, you were dead the moment you entered this station. Do yourself a favor and-"

The agent cried out. "Sir! The reading shows that the attacker is-"

All the lights and all the monitors went out. Before anyone could do anything, someone else finished the sentence for the agent.

"Here." A deep, gruff and extremely intimidating voice called out in the darkness, followed by the sound of someone's head getting smashed into a viewscreen.

Ron was blind without his night vision glasses, so he sped behind and crushed into a wall of men. Gunshots started popping around in the room, followed by cries of outrage and pain. Total panic had sent all the armed in the room into a senseless shooting frenzy. Ron put on the glasses and activated them.

Gemini was screaming for his men to stop shooting, but very few listened. It got worse as some more guys screamed and had their voices cut off suddenly. The gunshots stopped after a time, with many pained groans and cries all around Ron in the darkness.

Emergency lighting on the floor activated suddenly, revealing almost all the agents in the room either knocked out, shot or simply taking cover. Gemini's hand traced Ron's lone figure near the wall on the far side of the room.

Mini rockets fired off towards Ron. He saw them approach and felt an animalistic roar swelling up in his chest. The arrogance and the smug air Gemini was giving off had pissed him off. Not to mention, this was the murderer who personally shot Tara.

Ron swiped at one of the rockets with his hand, knocking it away. He swiped again with his other hand, sending two others on the other side. The last one hit him square in the chest. Gemini heard a thud after the mini explosion. He had won this. Whatever trickery the boy had up his sleeve was not enough.

Then the emergency lighting flickered off as the normal overhead lighting came back on. The smoke over Ron's previous position cleared off to show him standing up slowly. His hoodie was torn and burnt, so he pulled it off in one move, leaving him with just his bloodied form fitting undershirt.

He took off the glasses and threw them away as well. Then Gemini saw his eyes.

They were burning with a blood red fire.

The same panic that had gripped Amy Hall, Dementor and Adrena Lynn began to take hold on Gemini's heart. Something about those eyes just screamed pure danger. It was a primal fear, fear one feels when faced with an apex predator.

"I know you brought them together. I know you planned to kill us all! Why?!" A few agents still standing rushed at Ron. He saw the first one reach him in slow motion and countered it with punch of his own to the guy's sternum. Second one's swipe at Ron missed wide as he spun and jumped over the guy. His feet smashed into the back of the guy's neck and sent him unconscious. Third guy was running at him when he jumped off the neck of the previous guy. He grabbed the goon's face, used all his momentum and smashed him into the ground.

"TELL ME WHY?!" Ron's eyes began leaking red fire again, this time faster than before. A few more agents rushed at him, but he plowed through them like a jackhammer, using equal amounts of super speed and supernatural strength. The agents all flew off towards different directions.

Ron suddenly jumped and flew fifty feet in the air, smashing the observation platform Gemini was on as he landed. Gemini rolled away and shot rockets from his gauntlet again. Ron was blown back but he landed on his feet.

An agent behind him, lying on the ground, aimed his gun at Ron's back. Suddenly, a small metallic object came flying in from the support beams above and knocked the gun out of the agent's hand.

Ron roared as he raised his head and glared at Gemini.

"YOU FUCKING **MURDERER!" **Ron's voice distorted as more red fire spread through his eyes and face.

* * *

Kim and Dr. Director found the structure raising out of the water. They didn't even wait for it to raise fully. Director roughly landed the hoverjet on the helipad barely seen above water level and simply lowered the ramp.

They both exited the hoverjet running. The closest hatch opened to spill out some WEE agents. Kim ran as fast as she could, and realized that she was a lot faster than before. She jumped over all of them and rolled into the station.

The agents, confounded by the move, took their eyes off Dr. Director for a split second. She pulled twin handguns from her shoulder holsters and started firing. The first wave of agents fell down like reaped blades of grass. She rushed in and started hitting and shooting at melee range. Then ran after Kim inside the station.

Kim simply rushed towards the center of the structure. Rufus was holding on her shoulder and glowed faintly blue, tinged with red on the edges. Ron was close.

She jumped over a few more agents in the halls, but soon the general alarm was sounded out and the agents started trying to stop her.

She punched the first one who tried and sent that guy flying some good fifteen feet away. Her following flying kick on another simply knocked down five others behind that goon. Kim bellowed as she felt her panic rise.

"OUT OF MY WAY!" She weaved around and across all those got in her way, losing almost no speed at all as she thrashed them with single hits. Betty could only watch in amazement as she sprinted after the teenager. It was akin to watching a tiger plow through weak little animal.

Rufus started chittering loudly as they advanced, and the bluish aura tinged with red on him got brighter. They came across a big, double winged door which looked like it was automatic. Kim's heart jumped in fear as she heard an animalistic roar which she realized as coming from Ron.

On the other side of those doors, Ron rushed at Gemini again, this time catching the bigger man in the chest. The one-eyed terrorist kicked him away, but that only bought him a second as Ron jumped back on him. A fist charged with red energy slammed into where Gemini's head just was.

**"WHY?! WHY!? WHY?!" **Ron kept trying to punch Gemini but the experienced fighter avoided them all. The platform under their feet started crumbling as Ron's blows weakened the supports. Gemini peppered all the ammunition and energy charges in his metal glove to try to keep Ron away from himself. Several laser blasts and mini rockets destroyed key monitors and controls.

Kim tried to find a way to open the door, but to no avail. Finally, in desperation, she grabbed hold of both wings of the automated doors and started to push big metal doors on opposing sides.

Her strength was not enough. She was not enough. She was going to fail aga-

_NO!_

She screamed as the metal doors groaned and slid across slowly. Behind her, Dr. Director watched in amazement as the lithe cheer leader somehow accomplished a superhuman feat. With a final scream, she pushed them both away from herself, slamming the door wings on their sockets in the wall.

What greeted them inside was pure chaos. Many goons with purple-white uniforms laying on the ground, bleeding, injured or knocked out. Fires spreading through consoles. Various alarms going off at the same time.

And Ron. He was like a force of nature took form. Kim saw what was trying to tell her. Unlike the blue glow she had witnessed once before, this red fire starting to leak all over Ron made her sick in the stomach.

Somehow, in her gut, she could tell. This was _ wrong._

Ron's speed and strength reached superhuman levels as he punched through the metal panel Gemini tried to hide behind. He pulled the bigger man and dragged him down on his knees. In one simple move, the metal hand was ripped right off the arm it was mounted on. Sudden ripping at his nerve endings made Gemini scream loudly.

**"WHO KILLED MY PARENTS?! WHO?!"**

Sheldon saw his twin sister watching at the entrance at the door with shock and fear on her face. A psychopathic smile graced his face. He had already won. A disparate laughter filled with pained interludes filled the big room.

"You will never know boy! After all this, I still win! Global Justice is going down soon, and your pathetic little city was just the final domino!"

**"YOU KILLED MY FAMILY! THE GIRL I LOVED! YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME!"**

Ron's anger exploded in a storm of red energy started flying off of him. Dr. Director could only watch in fear. The dark figure crouched above on the support beams overhead simply chose to observe. This was a critical moment.

**"YOU WILL PAY!"** Ron's fist filled up with red energy and descended on Gemini's face, all set to destroy the face, the bones and the brains when it met them.

Ron's fist impacted something and his eyes grew as he took in the scene.

Kim, _ the Kim, his best friend Kim, _ was holding his fist at bay with both of her hands in front of herself. Rufus was standing on Kim's clasped hands, coating the hands with blue energy. The red energy gathered in his fist exploded around them, destroying a few more panels. Kim's arms almost buckled under the immense power.

Her voice came out strained. "He... didn't take... everything away.."

Ron's eyes flickered to blue just for a moment before they reverted to red again. **"K- Kim?"**

Kim smiled at him behind her hands. "Yes... I'm back."

Ron's face contorted with anger again. **"He tried to kill you! He killed my parents, Wade's parents, Tara! He has no remorse! He doesn't deserve to live!"**

_**Only you can stop him. **_

Kim's eyes burned as tears escaped them. "He doesn't. But you... You deserve much more than being a murderer..."

**"I am a small price to pay for justice!"**

"Not for me." Rufus climbed from on Kim's hands to Ron's shoulder and laid down near his neck. The blue aura around the naked mole rat fought the red fire leaking from Ron.

"Never for me!" Kim broke the hold on his hand and rushed forward at him. She hugged him for her dear life. The sickening red fire weakly contested her hold but it gave way.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Credits Theme: Dylan Jones - Shadowheart**

**XXXXXXXXXX**

"It was not your fault Ron. It was not your fault."

The fire in Ron's eyes flickered the faintest of purple for a split second, before turning blue. Then it went away, to reveal the light brown irises. He collapsed on Kim who held him. He lightly sobbed as he tried to breathe through the overwhelming grief and anger.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." He collapsed on his knees as Kim hugged him and cradled him at her chest.

Kim sensed his weakness and grabbed him bridal style. His eyes slowly closed.

"Let's go home..." She jumped off the platform.

As she carried her best friend away, Gemini tried to laugh again. "Pathetic little-"

Both Director's and Gemini's eyes grew as a dark mass descended on the man lying on the ground. Batman landed near Gemini's face and then promptly kicked him in the face.

Wordlessly, he walked off the platform and passed Betty by. The dark cape fluttering about him, he spoke to Betty on a low tone.

"You have lost this round. But not to your brother."

She turned her head, but the caped vigilante was already gone.

She turned to look back at Sheldon, her brother. He looked back.

No one said anything for a while.

Some distance away, Kim kept carrying an unconscious Ron away. She heard a single gunshot ringing across the halls. She didn't pay it any mind as she drank in the contorted, tortured visage of her best friend.

* * *

_**To be Continued in: "Rōnin."**_

* * *

**A.N. 2: Keep the review love flowing people, I feed off your anguish and despair! Really, the views on the story are increasing steadily but the reviews are pretty on the down low, and interesting enough, I have yet to receive one flaming PM or review. Come on people, feed me your anger, your hatred! Strike me down and I will become even more power...**

**Eh, random Obi Wan moment passed. I will take this chance to thank everyone who dropped a review for the last chapter and / or reached me by PM. Feedback, even if a little one, helps a lot in terms of materializing a story towards reader reactions.**

**RJay Fame, Daniel6, dr-fanmai-lover( even though I have no idea what he's saying), caly512, racenrise, Karlos1234ify, Piterio, Ferrium Erris, darkpiro9 and last but not least, CajunBear73 for his continued support and feedback. Thank you all guys.**

**Also, someone please tell me why the hell I started to write a fanfic when I just started to undertake the grueling road for a PhD. It's just craziness. **

**P.P.S. : I need someone to translate dr-fanmai-lover's reviews, coz I can barely grasp at what he's hinting with those.**


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